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A man who told investigators that the daughter of his four-year-old friend was kidnapped by three men in a van was arrested near Houston on Saturday in connection with her disappearance, while officials revealed that her blood had been discovered in his apartment.
The Houston police department said in a statement that 26-year-old Derion Vence, who was living with Maleah Davis and his mother, was arrested at his brother's home in Sugar Land, southwest of Houston.
Vance was accused of tampering with evidence, including a human body, police said.
"At the moment, these are the charges we have laid and I can not say more," Houston Police spokesman Kese Smith told The Associated Press.
THE PORTFOLIO MISSED BY MRSAN DAVIS BLAMES HIS FRIEND OF DISAPPEARANCE
Evidence of blood found in Vence's apartment was related to Maleah, and he was also seen on a surveillance video carrying a laundry basket full of the apartment, filled with a bag full trash as well as several bottles of bleach, according to the police.
Derion Vence, the man who said Maleah Davis, age 4, had been kidnapped last weekend, was arrested near Houston on Saturday in connection with his disappearance. Houston police said they found blood in his apartment linked to him.
(Houston Police Department)
Vence told the police last Saturday that three men in a van had kidnapped him, Maleah and his 2 year old son, before releasing him, as well as the boy. The Sugar Land police, who initially interrogated him, said his story was constantly changing and was inconsistent.
The 26-year-old had stated that his Nissan Altima had been taken during the kidnapping, but a surveillance video showed that the vehicle had been used to remove Vence later to a hospital where he had reported for the first time the kidnapping, police said in a statement.
The 2011 Nissan Altima, allegedly stolen when Maleah Davis disappeared, was found Thursday, police said.
(Houston Police Department)
On Thursday, the silver 2011 Nissan Altima from Vence was located in Missouri City, Texas. Houston police said that the laundry basket that Vence had been filmed and carrying from his apartment had been found in the trunk of the Nissan, accompanied by a can of gasoline.
Reported stolen vehicle found in search of MALEAH DAVIS and disappearance of HOUSTON GIRL: POLICE
A spokesman for the Houston police said that the authorities had still not found the girl and that the investigation was continuing. After his arrest, the bail was set at $ 999,999, with a scheduled date for Monday, reported FOX26.
Brittany Bowens, Maleah's mother, said through a spokesperson that Vence was his former fiancé. Bowens appeared outside his apartment on Friday as Quanell X, a local civil rights activist, spoke to reporters on his behalf.
Quanell X told FOX26 that after Vence's arrest, the mother had the impression of having dropped her daughter.
"She is devastated to know that she could have done a lot more to better protect Maleah on several fronts," Quanell X told FOX26. "But, of course, the decline is 20/20, but the warning signs were there and the mother is hurting herself."
Texas EquuSearch members research Maleah Davis, a four-year-old on Monday in Humble, Texas.
(Godofredo A. V Squez / Houston Chronicle via AP)
The spokesman added that Vence had mistreated Maleah and that Bowens thought Vence had harmed the girl.
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The police described Vence as Maleah's father-in-law. But Quanell X said that Vence and Bowens were arguing recently and that she broke their engagement.
Child protection services removed Maleah and her brothers from home that Vence and Bowens shared in August after the girl was injured in the head, but the children were fired in February, according to a door -speaker of the agency.
Bowens told KTRTK-TV that the injury was caused by a fall.
Nicole Darrah of Fox News and the Associated Press contributed to this report.
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