Mother, Boyfriend Arrested In Death Of 4-Year-Old

GAINESVILLE (CBSDFW.COM) – Gainesville Police are investigating the death of a 4-year-old boy whose body was found covered with burns, some of which are estimated to be at least two weeks old.

Police arrested the boy's mother, Catrina Maldonado, 34, and her boyfriend, Johnny Alexander, 27, on Wednesday, four days after Nathan De Alejandro was found not breathing at their Dover Drive home before dusk Saturday morning. Emergency authorities tried to resuscitate De Alejandro, but the four-year-old died at an area hospital at about 3 a.m.

Maldonado and Alexander are facing a felony charge of injury to a child, but were also arrested last week after police raided their home and found drugs and guns.

The raid was linked to a Mexican drug cartel operation, which has neighbors on the street scared silent.

Police are not saying exactly how the child died, only that burns covered much of his body. Authorities are awaiting findings from an autopsy by the Dallas County Medical Examiner.

Child Protective Services is also investigating the case. A spokesperson for the agency says there were no other children in the home.