A disturbing surveillance video from Los Angeles shows a young man carrying what appears to be a small body, with “his head and tiny legs hanging,” following the discovery of a 5-year-old boy found dead in a trash can, wrapped in a blanket.
Eliziah Khan was ultimately abandoned in a parking lot, “wrapped in a multicolored blanket,” as stated in a search warrant from the Los Angeles Police Department.
Brikson Malik Gaddis, 20, entered a not guilty plea for the murder charge in court on Monday. The judge reviewed the new surveillance footage where they noted what seemed to be small bodies swathed in blankets.
The footage, dated July 11, captures a man and a woman walking down the same street where Eliziah’s body was found the next day, carrying a blanket-wrapped bundle. “You can see your head and tiny legs hanging,” mentioned Yousef Rabadi, co-owner of E&J Market and Liquor, who was the first to share the security footage.
Rabadi added that some of his customers, who lived nearby, were aware that the child was neglected and mistreated. “It had been going on for a while, you know? People saw something but didn’t say anything, so I felt it was important to share that video,” he remarked.
The search warrant revealed blood was detected in several places within Gaddis’s apartment, including bathroom sinks and bags in his bedroom.
Eliziah’s mother, Kemia Hahn, aged 24, was interrogated by law enforcement but later released.
Outside the courthouse on Monday, tension escalated when Eliziah’s grandfather brandished a gun in the parking lot, according to police reports. He argued that his daughter was in danger, stating in an interview with ABC7 that while he took out his weapon, he did not aim it at anyone, merely trying to diffuse the situation.
In the wake of this tragedy, Eliziah’s family has set up a crowdfunding campaign to help with funeral expenses. The appeal describes him as “a fun and joyful child who lit up every room.” They fondly recalled his laughter and energy, expressing their profound heartbreak over his untimely death.
Gaddis is currently being held in jail with a bail set at $2 million.
