Police Say Calif. Mom Was Causing Disturbance. Then They Found Boy, 11, and 3 Dogs Dead

A California mother has been arrested in connection with the death of her 11-year-old son.

Meagan Dixon, 44, of Meridian, Calif., has been charged with homicide and child endangerment after her son was found dead inside a trailer at an RV park, CBS reported.

Police arrived at the park, Lovey’s Landing, around 10 a.m. on Jan. 5 in response to a report of a woman who appeared to be under the influence, causing a disturbance and arguing with another person, Sutter County Sheriff Brandon Barnes said at a press conference shared by Action News Now.

Barnes said that evidence found at the scene suggested the boy was smothered, and that he had likely been dead days before he was discovered. Also at the scene, police discovered three dead dogs — one was found in the trailer itself, while two others were found inside a vehicle registered to Dixon, Barnes said.

Dixon is being held at the Sutter County Jail with bail set at $1 million. According to Sutter County Jail records obtained by local outlet KCRA 3 News, Dixon is charged with murder, great bodily injury with a drug-related enhancement and child abuse, though Barnes said further charges may come as the investigation continues.

Barnes added that there’s no record of Child Protective Services being called to their residence in the past.

The child’s official cause of death will be announced after an autopsy is conducted, Barnes said. Autopsies have also been requested for each of the dogs.

Police did not find any other children at the scene, Barnes said.

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According to Barnes, the boy’s father and stepfather have both been eliminated as persons of interest.

Neighbors in the park told police the boy was homeschooled and might have had autism, Barnes said. The child frequently played in the trailer park, so neighbors grew concerned recently when they hadn’t seen him in several days. A neighbor reportedly confronted Dixon about her son, Barnes said, which appeared to lead to the disturbance and the eventual discovery of the boy.

If you suspect child abuse, call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child or 1-800-422-4453, or go to www.childhelp.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.