DA to seek death penalty for Las Vegas man after 4-year-old boy found dead in freezer

Updated

Prosecutors will seek the death penalty against a Las Vegas man accused of killing his girlfriend’s 4-year-old son, then hiding his body in the garage freezer, all while keeping his girlfriend chained up at home.

Brandon Toseland was arrested in late February after Dahsia Maldonado sneaked a note to her daughter’s teacher, claiming she was being held hostage and that she hadn’t seen her son, 4-year-old Mason Dominguez, since December.

Police found Mason’s body stuffed into a trash bag and hidden under a false cardboard bottom and “multiple food items” in the freezer, which was surrounded by odor absorption bags, fans and an air-filtration unit, according to the arrest affidavit.

4-year-old Las Vegas boy found dead in freezer suffered blunt force injuries: coroner

Brandon Toseland
Brandon Toseland

Brandon Toseland is facing murder and kidnapping charges.

His cause of death was ruled blunt force trauma last month.

Toseland has pleaded not guilty to murder, first-degree kidnapping and child abuse, neglect or endangerment

A spokesperson for the Clark County District Attorney’s Office did not immediately return a request for comment from the Daily News Wednesday, but online court records confirm that prosecutors have filed for the death penalty for Toseland.

Maldonado told police in February that she hadn’t seen Mason since Dec. 11, when she told Toseland that Mason was sick. Instead of getting help, Toseland took Mason into the master bedroom and barricaded the door, according to the arrest affidavit previously obtained by the Daily News.

Mason Dominguez was 4 when he was killed.
Mason Dominguez was 4 when he was killed.

Mason Dominguez was 4 when he was killed. (GoFundMe /)

Days later, Toseland told Maldonado he “could not show Mason’s body because his freedom would be taken away,” according to police, and told her that he had found the boy unresponsive and covered in vomit on the bed. He tried to resuscitate him, but was unable to do so.

Maldonado also claimed that Toseland held her hostage in the house, only letting her out with him, when he would handcuff her in the car.

She has filed a wrongful-death lawsuit against him.

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