ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. – The St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office filed murder charges against the father of a young boy who disappeared 16 years ago.
Dawan Ferguson, 46, was charged Friday with first-degree murder in the death of his son, 9-year-old Christian.
According to court documents, Dawan Ferguson killed his son by basically not giving him what he needed to survive.
“I knew that justice was on its way but I’m in shock,” said Theda Person, Christian’s mother. “I know that a lot of people believed that justice would be served and though justice seemed to be delayed, may justice be served,.”
Dawan Ferguson is being held without bail.
Court documents indicate Dawan Ferguson, who had full custody of Christian, left his home with the boy on June 11, 2003. Christian was never seen again.
Christian had a genetic disorder that required that he receive proper nutrition and medication and that Dawan Ferguson knew that. The documents say from January 16, 2001 until June 18, 2003, Dawan Ferguson failed to provide Christian with proper nutrition and medication, and that Christian would have died within 48 to 72 hours without the medication he needed.
Just after 6 a.m. on June 11, 2003, Dawan Ferguson called 911 from a payphone at Page and Skinker to report someone had carjacked his SUV with Christian inside. The SUV was found later that day but Christian was never found.
St. Louis County Prosecutor Wesley Bell would not elaborate on what–if any–new evidence had come to light. He acknowledged that Christian had not been found.
Nonetheless, the case is moving forward.
“We have determined that we’re going to look at cases with a fresh set of eyes and this is a case where we feel the evidence compels us to seek justice for Christian and that’s what we’re going to do,” Bell said.
Fox 2 contacted John Rogers, the attorney who represented Dawan Ferguson early on in the investigation. Rogers is not officially representing Ferguson at the moment but said he has talked with Dawan Ferguson and he maintains his innocence.
Rogers said charging Dawan Ferguson is a serious mistake.
