A young boy found beaten to death in a Los Angeles dumpster suffered severe injuries before he was killed, according to an autopsy report. Elyjah Hearn, 5, was discovered wrapped in a blanket and discarded in a dumpster on July 12, 2025.
Suspect Arrested and Charged
Brycson Malik Gaddis, 20, the estranged boyfriend of Kemia Hearn, the boy's mother, was arrested on July 16 and charged with murder. Surveillance footage captured a man, accompanied by a woman, carrying a large object wrapped in a blanket similar to the one found with Elyjah. The footage showed what appeared to be feet and legs dangling from the blanket as the man carried it along the street and out of view.
Autopsy Findings
The autopsy report released on Tuesday detailed the severity of Elyjah's injuries. He was discovered naked and partially wrapped in a fleece throw blanket. The examination revealed contusions, fractures, and abrasions on his head, torso, and arms, as well as cuts to his forehead and lips. The cause of death was blunt force trauma, and the manner was ruled a homicide.
The medical examiner also found that Elyjah, who was autistic, had bruises in various stages of healing on both the front and back of his body, indicating possible previous abuse. The search warrant affidavit for Gaddis' home noted the similarities between the blanket in the surveillance footage and the one Elyjah was found in. Police observed signs of blood on the bathroom sink, drain, backsplash, and inside a tote bag on the bed during an initial search of the apartment.
Legal Proceedings
Kemia Hearn, 24, was questioned by police but released without charges. Gaddis has pleaded not guilty and is being held at Van Nuys Jail without bond. His next court hearing is scheduled for May 13. He has a lengthy criminal history, including carjacking, assault, and domestic violence charges in the year before Elyjah's murder. The carjacking and assault charges from July 2024 were dropped in December 2024. In February 2025, he was charged with domestic violence and false imprisonment for allegedly attacking a former girlfriend.
Gaddis skipped a court date in April 2025, leading to a bench warrant, but police did not locate him before Elyjah's death. He was wearing an ankle monitor, but the battery was dead, and he had not recharged it as required.
Family and Community Response
Hearn's family claimed Gaddis also abused her, and police were called multiple times for domestic violence incidents. A GoFundMe campaign described Elyjah as a bright light whose life was taken too soon, remembering him as a joyful, fun-loving child who brought light into every room he entered.
