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SOUTH SALT LAKE — Police say they are looking for an 18-month-old boy whose parents "fled the state" after the father was suspected to be involved in the fatal shooting of a man during an alleged robbery attempt in May.
Stafon Dshawn Coleman Jr. is Black, about 2 feet tall, and weighs about 25 pounds. He has black hair and brown eyes. Police do not know what clothing he might be wearing. He is believed to be either in California, Texas or Utah. The last confirmed sighting of him was in El Paso, Texas, police said in a news release.
While police believe Stafon Dshawn Coleman Sr. is the boy's father, he does not have legal custody of the child, according to the release.
The father, Coleman Sr., and the boy's mother, Liana Blas, who police say was 5 months pregnant at the time, left Utah with their toddler son on May 11, two days after the shooting.
On May 9, Romeo Charles Stevens, 27, was shot multiple times and killed near the parking lot at WinCo, 2193 S. Main. His body was found on Main Street near the entrance to the store. The first arriving officers noticed at least two bullet wounds in Stevens' body, according to charging documents. An autopsy later determined he was shot three times.
Coleman Sr., 21, of Roy, and three other people are charged with murder and aggravated robbery, both first-degree felonies; and obstructing justice, a second-degree felony.
About two weeks after police say Coleman and his girlfriend left Utah, Blas went to her mother's house in El Paso, Texas, with the boy and "indicated that she was also traveling with (the father)," South Salt Lake police said in a news release.
Later that evening, police say the woman left her mother's house with the child. Several attempts by officials to locate the boy and check his welfare have been unsuccessful, police said.
On Wednesday, police made contact with Blas, who was with her newborn baby, but Stafon Jr. was not located, according to the news release.
"Liana refused to provide both police and the DCFS with the current location/whereabouts and/or persons who have Stafon Jr.," police said. "It is believed that Stafon Jr. may be with his father Stafon Sr., who is not Stafon Jr.'s legal guardian."
Coleman Sr. is believed to be traveling with Terell Jones, who is his half-brother, and McKenna Cummins who is Jones' girlfriend, according to the statement. All three have arrest warrants and are considered to be "armed and dangerous," police said.
Police say they don't know whether the child has medical conditions. Police and the Division of Child and Family Services are seeking information to help locate him and check his welfare and ensure his safety.
Anyone with information regarding the whereabouts of the child is asked to contact South Salt Lake police at 801-840-4000.
Correction: A previous version misstated Coleman as Stevens.
