The father of 4-year-old Cash Gernon who was kidnapped from his bed and stabbed to death says he will never forgive himself for leaving his son and his twin brother with a friend while he skipped town.
Cash Gernon was taken from his bed in the early hours of Saturday, May 15. His body was found just under two hours later not far from the Dallas house where he was staying in Florina Parkway.
The four-year-old had died from multiple stab wounds.
His father Trevor Gernon has released a recorded statement on his sister’s YouTube account apologizing for not “keeping his son safe.”
The dad was with Cash and his twin brother Carter when he moved to Dallas where he lived with an old friend Monica Sherrod who was a single parent like himself and had offered her help.
But Gernon then decided to move back to Houston “after an unsuccessful job hunt amongst other things,” and decided his two boys would be better off with her.
Meanwhile, the boys’ mother, identified as Melinda Seagroves, had no idea where her boys were and had been looking for them with her mother Connie Ward, as per The Dallas Morning News. Cash’s twin brother has since been reunited with his mother.
“I felt it was in the boys’ best interest to not disrupt their routine,” Gernon said of his son Cash and his brother, Carter, who was not harmed.
“They were comfortable, they were around other kids, and from what it appeared, Monica was a trustworthy person. This choice I made with best of intentions has resulted in a most horrific outcome.
“I have paid the most ultimate painful price for my poor judgement, I have to live with this devastation every single day, I will never forgive myself, if I could I’d go back and do everything different, this is a nightmare that doesn’t go away when I open my eyes every morning.”
On May 15, an intruder was caught on a baby monitor camera sneaking into Cash and Carter’s bedroom at Monica Sherrod’s home and lifting the still-sleeping boy from his bed.
Cash’s body was found by a neighbor out walking at 6.40 a.m. the same morning. He wasn’t reported missing until 10.48 a.m.
Darriynn Brown, 18, was arrested later that day after he was identified on home surveillance video taking the child from his crib. He has been charged with kidnapping and burglary so far.
Investigators have not released a motive, and Brown’s mother has said she believes her son is being framed.
Footage has since been obtained showing Brown lurking around the house of Monica Sherrod’s neighbor Jose Alvarado two months before the horrific events of May 15 took place.
The video even shows Brown opening Alvarado’s backyard gate, looking inside and then quickly walking away. Speaking with The Daily Beast, the neighbor said: “It’s really scary. I have two kids, one girl and one boy, and they play basketball in the backyard.”
According to CrimeOnline, Trevor Gernon left town to avoid drug charges and Monica Sherrod didn’t know where he was. Police said they were unable to find him.
Gernon referenced his legal issues in the YouTube recording saying: “I have to fear for my freedom, as it is the goal of some to see me go to jail rather than grieve the loss of my little boy.” He did not disclose his location or legal status.
“I am so sorry that I failed to keep him safe. That is my job as his dad and I was not able to do that and I’m sorry,” the emotional dad said, addressing the boys’ mother Melinda Seagroves.
“I have paid the most ultimate and painful price for my poor judgment and I have to live with this devastation every single day,” he said.
“I will never forgive myself. If I could, I would go back and do everything different. This is a nightmare that doesn’t go away once I open my eyes in the morning. We just don’t understand how this could happen to such a bright and cheerful kid.”
In the recording, the boys’ father also appealed to the public to show mercy toward the boys’ family.
“I’m barely getting through a day that doesn’t take me to a dark place,” he said. “I hope you all could understand how fragile we all are and how quickly things can turn upside down.
“I would hope that we can all cooperate and band together to make sure Cash gets the justice he deserves.”
There are many questions surrounding the safety of these children in the run up to this horrific crime but ultimately bringing this little boy’s killer to justice will offer some closure to the nightmare his family are experiencing.
My heart goes out to them all. Rest in peace little one.
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