Dad arrested after 1-year-old girl found dead in Los Angeles River

June 2024 · 2 minute read

A 22-year-old California father was charged with murdering his baby daughter after the 1-year-old’s body was found in the Los Angeles River, authorities said.

Jayveon Burley was also charged with assault on a child causing death in the disturbing case, Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón announced Wednesday. 

The body of Burley’s infant daughter Leilani Burley was recovered Monday in the river below the Ocean Boulevard Bridge in Long Beach, the Inglewood Police Department said.

One-year-old Leilani Burley — here with her mother, Lynisha Hull — was found dead in the Los Angeles River on Monday, leading to her father’s arrest.

The girl’s grandmother called police Sunday night when her son, who lives with her, returned home with only one of his two children after picking them up from their mother in Long Beach, police said.

Police began a search for the missing girl. Her brother, 3-year-old Zayveyon Burley, was unharmed, KTLA-TV reported.

Lynisha Hull, Leila and Zayveyon’s mother, told KTLA that Burley had never harmed either of their children and was always overprotective of them.

Police said Jayveon Burley had picked up his children, Leilani and her 3-year-old brother, Zayveyon (right), on Sunday, but only returned home with his son.

“He dropped her, or threw her, over the bridge,” Hull said through sobs of her daughter.

The heartbroken mother was left to wonder what her child’s final moments were like.

“I keep on asking, what was my daughter’s reaction? Was she crying? Was she screaming?” the woman said.

Jayveon Burley could face charges of murder and child endangerment, police said.

Hull recalled taking Christmas photos with baby Leilani a short time before her death.

“She was hugging me so tight. She didn’t want me to let go. I feel like my baby knew something,” she said.

Hull wrote on her Facebook page that although she and Burley did not have an argument when he came by her house to pick up their children, she noticed that he seemed “angry.”

Her mother said Leilani loved music, books, and giving people high-fives.

According to the anguished mother, before Leilani was found dead in the shallow water under the bridge, Burley wouldn’t tell her where their daughter was.

“He kept on saying, ‘Don’t worry about it, she’s fine,’” Hull wrote in a post.

The mom of two described Leila as “so full of life.” She said the 1-year-old loved music, books and “giving high-fives.”

Burley is being held on $215,000 bond.

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