Deontray Flanagan, 26, has been convicted of capital murder for the March 2023 death of his 2-year-old daughter, Zevaya Flanagan.
Flanagan strangled the child during a high-speed police chase in Houston while on a FaceTime call with her mother, Kairsten Watson, and grandfather, Curtis Watson, KHOU11 reports.
The incident began when Flanagan picked up Zevaya from daycare and confronted Watson at her workplace. After a violent altercation, he fled with the child, leading police on a 45-minute pursuit. During the chase, Flanagan
FaceTimed Watson and her father, showing them the brutal assault on Zevaya. The child was unrestrained in the vehicle, suffering severe injuries from both the assault and the reckless driving.
Houston police had been chasing Flanagan for several miles as he sped through the city’s streets at dangerously high speeds. According to prosecutors, the call was not only a taunting act by Flanagan but also a form of control during a violent episode, where he inflicted fatal harm on the toddler.
Prosecutors highlighted the brutality of Flanagan’s actions, emphasizing the psychological torment inflicted on the family. “It’s every parent’s worst nightmare,” stated Gilbert Sawtelle of the Harris County District Attorney’s Office.
The jury deliberated for less than two hours before delivering the guilty verdict. Flanagan faces a life sentence without the possibility of parole. Sentencing is scheduled for later this month.
