HARRIS COUNTY, Texas — The bond has been raised to $2 million for the man accused of killing his daughter after he removed her from daycare and led police on a chase.
Deontray Flanagan's bond was originally set at $1 million. It was raised Wednesday after Deontray appeared in court for the first time.
Prosecutors said charges may be upgraded to capital murder once his daughter’s autopsy is complete.
Deontray is accused of removing Zevaya from daycare Monday during an argument he was having with his girlfriend, who is also Zevaya's mother. Court records said Deontray was upset with his girlfriend because she was reportedly talking to another man.
Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez said after picking up his daughter from daycare, Deontray drove to his girlfriend's job, a Walmart on FM 1960, to get her phone. He hit his girlfriend a couple of times before he took off with her cell phone and Zevaya.
The sheriff's office said family members were in contact with Deontray and were able to help deputies track him down.
He was eventually spotted near Greens Road and the North Freeway and led law enforcement on a chase, investigators said. Family members told deputies that during the police chase, Deontray was physically abusing Zevaya.
On top of that, Zevaya was also injured from being thrown around in the car during the chase, court records read.
The chase eventually ended near a church on Stuebner Airline Road near FM 1960. Deontray refused to get out of the car so law enforcement had to use a distraction device to get him out and remove his unconscious daughter.
Life Flight was called to the scene and took Zevaya to a hospital where she died.
The Harris County Sheriff's Office is conducting an internal investigation to determine whether all of its agency's policies and procedures were followed.
"The investigation will include a thorough review of the timeline, camera footage, dispatch communications and radio traffic," the department said.
HCSO said it had contact with Zevaya's mother nearly a week ago to investigate Deontray for an alleged terroristic threat. An investigation took place and the Harris County District Attorney's Office determined there was insufficient evidence and no charges were filed.
Deputies attempted to find Deontray by conducting a welfare check, but they couldn't locate him.