Dallas police seek mother of 3-year-old fatally shot in car on manslaughter charge

The mother of a 3-year-old boy who was fatally shot last month now faces a manslaughter charge, Dallas police said Tuesday.

Lacravivonne Washington, 26, bonded out of the Dallas County jail after being arrested on a charge of tampering with evidence and multiple counts of endangering a child in connection with the shooting. Police are looking for Washington and ask anyone with information about her whereabouts to contact the department.

Her attorney, Joseph Berry, did not immediately respond to a request for comment late Tuesday.

Dallas police did not say what evidence led to the manslaughter charge.

Jalexus Washington Jr. was fatally shot the morning of March 28. Washington initially told police that the boy was shot in a road-rage incident after she visited a donut shop in northeast Dallas around 9:40 a.m. with three of her children, ages 2, 3 and 4.

About 20 minutes later, the family arrived at Medical City Dallas Hospital in North Dallas, where Jalexus was pronounced dead.

Dallas police said they did not find any evidence of a road-rage shooting. Jalexus’ autopsy showed he was shot in the head at close range, ruling out the possibility that he was shot by someone in another car.

When police searched the vehicle, a handgun was found “where the children could easily reach it,” an arrest-warrant affidavit says. There were no child safety seats or restraints in the car, police said.

Police later found a second gun with the boy’s father, 27-year-old Jalexus Washington Sr., and determined that it was the weapon that killed the 3-year-old. Both guns were purchased by Lacravivonne Washington on March 4, police said.

Police have not said whether they believe someone else shot Jalexus or whether he got hold of the gun accidentally.

Lacravivonne Washington was taken into custody March 30 on the charge of evidence-tampering — police said she “concealed a handgun during the investigation” — and one count of child endangerment. Two more endangerment counts were added about a week later, and her total bail was set at $50,000. It was not clear when she was released from custody.

Jalexus Washington Sr. was initially arrested on a charge of unlawful carrying of a weapon on March 30 and released from jail after posting $1,500 bond. He was arrested again Wednesday on a charge of tampering with evidence and remains in the Dallas County jail, with bail set at $25,000.

Four of their children — ages 2, 4, 7 and 9 – were placed with a relative after being removed from their home by the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services.