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Timeline of events in Maleah Davis case
HOUSTON (FOX 26) – Maleah Davis, 4, was reported missing from Houston on May 4. Police have said that they do not believe she is still alive. Her remains have not been found
Here is a timeline of developments in the case.
April 30
Maleah Davis’ mother, Brittany Bowens, says she left Houston and flew to Massachusetts for her father’s funeral. She would later claim that she had broken off her engagement to Derion Vence just before she left town.
May 3
Surveillance camera video captures Vence leaving his apartment holding a laundry basket that appears to have a black plastic bag inside. He was also said to have had two bottles of bleach.
Meantime, Bowens, who was waiting for Vence at the airport, resorted to calling another family member to pick her up.
May 4
Bowens calls police to report Vence and the kids missing.
Vence shows up to Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital with his one-year-old son at night seeking treatment for a head injury. Maleah is not with him.
Vence speaks to police. He claims to have been attacked the night before on his way to pick up Maleah’s mother from George Bush Intercontinental Airport. He tells police that Maleah and his infant son were in the car with him, when he pulled over to check his tire around Greens Road and Highway 59. Vence then claimed that three Hispanic men pulled up in a blue Chevy pickup truck and beat him up until he passed out. He says the next day, May 4, he regained consciousness near First Colony Mall. Maleah and his car were nowhere to be found, but his son was still with him.
May 5
An Amber Alert is issued for Maleah.
May 6
Texas EquuSearch begins looking for Maleah. They search the area in northeast Houston where Vence says they were abducted.
May 7
Texas EquuSearch moves the search efforts to southwest Houston, setting up a command post near the apartment where Maleah lived.
A Houston police detective tells FOX 26 that Derion Vence is a person of interest in the disappearance of Maleah.
Heavy rain falls across the Houston area.
May 8
The rain from the day before leaves the search area flooded. Texas EquuSearch suspends ground search until the flooding recedes. They search by air instead.
Police release more photos of the silver Nissan Altima that Vence said he was driving when the alleged abduction occurred.
May 9
The silver Nissan Altima is located in the parking lot of a Missouri City shopping center. Police say all of the car’s tires appear to be fine.
May 10
Quanell X and Maleah’s mother hold a press conference and accuse Derion Vence of abuse.
May 11
Vence is arrested and charged with tampering with evidence, a human corpse. His bail is set at $999,999,999.
Prosecutors say dogs picked up the scent of a human cadaver in the trunk of the Nissan. They say a laundry basket and a gas can are also found in the trunk.
Authorities say they don’t believe Maleah is still alive.
May 12
A community rally is held outside of Maleah’s apartment.
May 13
Vence is set to appear in court, but the hearing is rescheduled.
Maleah and Quanell X leave court and wait for elevator as crowd chants “Justice for Maleah.”
That afternoon, a judge lowers Vence’s bond to $45,000.
May 14
Texas Equusearch expands the search for Maleah. They focus their efforts around Vence’s former U.S. Postal Service mail route in Rosharon.
Maleah’s biological father, Craig Davis, posts an emotional tribute to Maleah on Instagram.
May 15
A vigil and balloon release are held at Oyster Creek Park in Sugar Land in honor of Maleah.
Texas EquuSearch suspends their search efforts until they receive more information.
May 16
A reward of up to $5,000 offered for information in Maleah’s disappearance.
Brittany Bowens sits down with FOX 26 to share her side.
May 20
Protesters gathered outside Child Protective Services calling for justice for Maleah.
May 21
As the search for her daughter continues, Maleah’s mom was back on social media and getting a lot of backlash for her posts about Derion Vence, the suspect in her daughter’s disappearance.
May 22
Maleah’s family members attended a closed-door custody hearing.
May 23
Houston Police Department gives a press conference to update the public on progress in the case. According to HPD, those close to the case have not been cooperating.
Maleah Davis’ grandmother asked Chief Art Acevedo to announce that Ronnie and Karen Bias of Lake Charles, Louisiana have pledged an additional $15,000 for a total of $20,000 for information leading to an arrest and prosecution.
May 30
Crime Stoppers of Houston has increased the reward of up to $12,500 in Maleah Davis’ case. In addition to private contributions, this brings the total reward to $27,500 for information about Maleah’s whereabouts.
May 31
Quanell X says Derion Vence confessed that Maleah Davis is dead. He says Vence told him that Maleah’s death was an accident and that he admitted to dumping Maleah’s body in a ditch in Arkansas.
Texas Equusearch will go to Arkansas to search for her remains.
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