Authorities are searching for a person of interest in a death investigation of a woman and a 1-year-old baby who were found dead in a car near Lake Ellenor, according to the Orange County Sheriff’s Office.
Orange County Sheriff John Mina said they are looking for 21-year-old Doujon Duwayne Griffiths in the deaths of 20-year-old Massania Malcolm, who was found shot to death, and her 1-year-old daughter, Jordania.
Mina said a cause of death has not been determined yet for the baby, but investigators believe she died while being in a hot car.
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“In other words, this suspect allegedly left that baby to die in that car,” he said. The sheriff said the two victims were most likely in the car for a couple of days.
Mina said deputies responded to reports of a shooting early Tuesday morning and found a man in his 20s who was shot multiple times. Mina said the man told deputies a friend shot him before he was taken to the hospital for surgery.
On Thursday morning, the sheriff said a family member of the man contacted authorities and said they were not able to get in contact with Malcolm, the man’s girlfriend, and their daughter. Once the man regained consciousness, Mina said he told deputies he was shot while in the driver’s seat of a car he was in with his girlfriend, baby and Griffiths.
Investigators learned Griffiths was staying with Malcolm, her boyfriend, and their child.
The man said he believed his girlfriend was shot as well and believed the friend drove off in the car with Malcolm and the baby, according to Mina. Afterward, deputies found the mother and daughter dead inside a vehicle found near 6100 Lake Ellenor Drive.
“This is a horribly tragic case that has shattered two families,” he said.
Mina said the sheriff’s office has an arrest warrant for Griffiths for attempted murder in Tuesday’s shooting. He is also a person of interest in the shooting of Malcolm and the death of 1-year-old Jordania.
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