‘He’s Dangerous’: Texts Warned About Boyfriend — Texas Mother and Partner Charged With Capital Murder After 3-Year-Old’s Death

A Texas mother and her boyfriend have been charged with capital murder after investigators say her 3-year-old son suffered weeks of abuse before dying. Authorities allege Chelsea Berg, 30, and Christopher Alexander, 30, repeatedly harmed Dawson Zamora; the boy was brought to Medical City McKinney unresponsive on Oct. 14 and later died on Dec. 7.

Allegations and Medical Findings

According to an arrest-warrant affidavit obtained by PEOPLE, medical examinations found severe brain trauma, intracranial bleeding, multiple bruises in various stages of healing across the body, and anal trauma. Hospital staff told investigators the injuries were inconsistent with Alexander’s initial account — that he had heard a thud from another room.

What Investigators Say Happened

Authorities say Alexander brought Dawson to the hospital on Oct. 14 after finding him unresponsive. Berg told detectives she had left the home around 7:20 a.m. that morning and left Dawson in Alexander’s care before going to work. She said Alexander messaged her after lunch, panicked, and said he was taking the child to the hospital. When Berg arrived, Alexander allegedly said he had no explanation for the injuries, then retained an attorney and declined to speak with detectives.

Cellphone Messages and Earlier Warnings

Detectives obtained search warrants for both adults’ cellphones and say they found numerous messages in the weeks leading up to Oct. 14 that referenced bruises and other injuries to Dawson. In one text, Berg warned Alexander: “You’re reckless. He had progressively been getting more and more hurt with you!!! Leave me alone!! I’m not blind. You’re DANGEROUS.”

Earlier messages quoted in the affidavit include: “Let’s hope [Dawson] isn’t ever left alone with you, he probably wouldn’t survive” and “You being in my life is quite literally a threat to [Dawson].” Berg also wrote that Alexander “bruise[d] him, hurt him, and cause[d] damage every single time you are alone with him.”

Charges and Legal Status

Berg and Alexander were initially arrested in October on charges of injury to a child (a first-degree felony); Alexander also faced a tampering-with-evidence charge. After Dawson’s death on Dec. 7, prosecutors upgraded the case to capital murder. Berg was arrested again on Dec. 8; Alexander has remained in custody since his October arrest and is now also charged with capital murder.

Family Reaction

Dawson’s biological father, Dahrian Zamora, confirmed his son’s death on social media, saying Dawson “held on to spend one last birthday” with him on Dec. 7. In his post, Dahrian wrote: “My son didn’t have to die, this could have been prevented. He should have been protected and now he was murdered.” He asked for prayers for his daughter, Harper, and called the loss overwhelming.

Family members also appealed for support on a GoFundMe page. Dawson’s great-aunt Priscilla Moore described the family’s world as being “turned upside down” and said the boy had previously received emergency treatment for life-threatening injuries.

Next Steps

Prosecutors have upgraded the charges and the case remains under active investigation. Both suspects are expected to face court proceedings related to the capital murder indictments.