missing girl

Maleah Davis: Custody case decided for murdered girl's brother

Friday, January 31, 2020

Custody decided for Maleah Davis' brother

The fight for custody comes a few weels after Maleah Davis' biological father lunged at the man charged in his daughter's death.

HOUSTON, Texas -- The older brother of Maleah Davis, the little girl from the Houston area whose body was found in Arkansas, will live with his maternal grandmother.

A jury ruled Thursday night he will stay with his grandmother, who was contesting custody against Maleah's biological father, Craig Davis. The boy was living with his paternal aunt.

The fight for custody comes a few weeks after Craig lunged at Derion Vence, the man who was the last one to see little Maleah alive and was once engaged to Maleah's mom.

Vence was charged with tampering with evidence in connection with the death of little Maleah.

VIDEO: ABC13 caught up with Craig Davis moments after the incident

ABC13's Miya Shay attempted to speak with Maleah Davis' biological father, who attacked the suspect in his daughter's death during a hearing.

Witnesses say Davis then jumped across several tables and attacked Vence who was handcuffed and sitting in the jury box of the courtroom. Vence apparently did not want to press charges so no charges were filed against Davis.

According to investigators, Vence claimed that on May 3, 2019, he was attacked while stopping to check a tire while on his way to the Bush Intercontinental Airport to pick up Bowens. Maleah and Vence's 1-year-old son were with him.

He told police he was knocked unconscious by three Hispanic men, later regaining consciousness 24 hours later in the area of First Colony Mall. His son was with him but Maleah was not. He later entered a hospital in Sugar Land, where he told police that Maleah went missing.

The body of Maleah Davis was found in Arkansas on May 31, 2019, after she had been missing for a month.

Vence is in jail. He's due back in court in April on the tampering with evidence charge.

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