Potential lawsuit looms over Sophia Mason case, as child’s accused killer returns to court
Dhante Jackson, the alleged killer of 8-year-old Sophia Mason, was back in Merced Superior Court for his arraignment hearing on murder and felony child abuse charges Wednesday — although the question of his legal representation still remains unresolved.
The 34-year-old defendant, who was arrested Saturday in the Bay Area following an extensive six-month manhunt by local and state agents, told Judge Steven Slocum he is still trying to find an attorney.
Jackson, who is being held without bail, mentioned to the judge he would like his assets to be “unfrozen” in order to help in that regard. It’s unclear whether any such restrictions have been placed on the defendant’s finances.
As a result, the judge scheduled Jackson’s arraignment hearing for Sept. 21. “We are expecting his attorney will be present then and he can enter pleas to the charges,” said Merced County Deputy District Attorney Katie Gates.
Merced County prosecutors say Jackson could face additional time behind bars, if he is convicted of killing Mason. That’s because he already had a 2010 robbery conviction in Alameda County. Because that offense counts as a strike under California law, any further convictions could substantially increase his penalty.
For example, Gates said if Jackson is convicted of first-degree murder, the strike offense would increase his sentence from 25 years to life in prison to 50 years to life in prison. If he is convicted of second-degree murder, that offense would be increased from 15 years to life in prison to 30 years to life.
“We certainly believe that we can prove second-degree murder, and at the preliminary hearing I think will have more information about how to charge the case after we put evidence on,” Gates said.
In the robbery case, Jackson served five years probation and 300 days in the Alameda County jail, according to Matt Serratto, Merced County chief deputy district attorney.
Back in March, Sophia’s body was found inside a bath tub of Jackson’s home on Barclay Way in Merced.
The co-defendant in Sophia’s homicide, her mother Samantha Johnson, 31, was previously arrested on murder and felony child abuse charges, not long after the child’s body was found. Her case remains pending in Merced Superior Court.
Merced police have said Sophia was the victim of long-term abuse. Details also emerged Jackson may have physically and sexually abused the child prior to her death.
By the time Merced police found her severely malnourished body inside Jackson’s Barclay Way home, she had been dead about a month. Perez said she was forced to live in a backyard shed or inside of a closet.
Also arrested Saturday were Daberka Thompson of San Jose, Laronna Larkins of Merced and Mayra Gonzalez of Newark. Each faces a charge of accessory to murder after the fact.
Child’s family files claim
Sophia’s family members earlier this month filed a claim against Alameda County, alleging they had made several complaints the child was being abused by Jackson and her mother Samantha Johnson — to no avail.
Family members say Sophia spent the first seven years of her life being well cared for by her grandmother in Hayward,
But Sophia’s stable, happy life with her grandmother didn’t last. Family members have said said Johnson took Sophia away from Sylvia Johnson and the rest of the family in January 2021, after Jackson wanted to meet her. Despite conveying their repeated concerns to Alameda County about Sophia’s safety, they say no action was taken.
Melissa Harris, Sophia’s cousin, has said her family alerted Child and Family Services in Alameda County, the Hayward Police Department and the Hayward Unified School District.
She said none of those agencies would help their family. The Sun-Star has previously reached out to those agencies, but they declined comment on the family’s allegations. A Bay Area News Group investigation into the case also found deep deficiencies at Child and Family Services in Alameda County.
“Beginning in January 2021, Alameda received referrals alleging that Sophia’s mother hit her, choked her, and covered her mouth to subdue her screams. The County further learned that Sophia had multiple bruises on her arms, torso, and thigh, and that she had not been to school in weeks. When social workers interviewed Sophia, she confirmed that her mother had grabbed her neck while mad at her and had covered her mouth,” the claim reads.
“Sophia’s teacher told county social workers that Sophia was not attending school and that she was unsure whether Sophia could communicate if she was in danger due to a potential speech disorder. In the following months, Alameda continued to receive numerous hotline referrals alleging additional abuse, including the fact that Sophia’s mother and her boyfriend were hitting Sophia and that Sophia was being exposed to sexual acts, including her mother’s prostitution. Sophia herself told social workers that she was being hit by her mother’s friends, that she was scared of her mother, and that her mother also hit her. All of this was known and documented by the County of Alameda, who concluded that the allegations of physical abuse were ‘inconclusive’ because Sophia reported feeling safe with her mother (despite Sophia having disclosed being afraid of her mother).”
If the family’s claim is ultimately rejected by the Alameda County Board of Supervisors, California law allows the petitioners several months to file a lawsuit with the state.
Jackson and Johnson both remain at the Merced County jail without bail.
