On July 12, Kendrick called 911 and reported Hershall Creachbaum Jr., a boy who was non-verbal and autistic, was kidnapped, according to Montgomery County Regional Dispatch records.
Kendrick claimed a homeless man had beaten him to the point he lost consciousness and when he woke up Creachbaum, his wheelchair and the man were missing, the prosecutor’s office said.
Dayton police responded to the Xenia Avenue residence and determined the boy was missing but hadn’t been taken.
They interviewed Kendrick and Johnson, who revealed Creachbaum had been dead for weeks.
Johnson initially claimed she saw her son playing with her daughter the day before but later told investigators the boy died sometime while she was in the hospital in late May, according to Dayton Municipal Court records.
Kendrick told detectives he got into an argument over the phone while drinking and punched Creachbaum in the head twice, according to an affidavit. He reportedly shoved the boy to the ground and struck him.
Kendrick claimed Creachbaum died the next day, according to court documents. He told investigators where he left the boy’s remains, leading them to McClure Street near U.S. 35.
The Montgomery County Coroner’s Office is working to formally identify the remains.
“The actions of these defendants are beyond despicable,” said Montgomery County Prosecutor Mat Heck Jr. “An innocent 7-year-old child died and neither the child’s mother nor her boyfriend reported the death to authorities. Our hope is the Dayton Police Department and the Montgomery County Coroner’s Office positively identify the remains that were found and determine a cause of death so that additional charges can be filed.”
Kendrick and Johnson are scheduled to be arraigned on Thursday.
Bond was set at $2 million for Kendrick and at $250,000 for Johnson last week.
Both are being held in the Montgomery County Jail.
The investigation into Creachbaum’s death is ongoing.
About the Author