Lexington Elliot Brandon

Lexington Elliot Brandon, an 8-month-old black baby, died Tuesday, Nov. 1, in the 3200 block of Flower Street in Lynwood, according to Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department investigators. 

Lexington's maternal grandmother called 911 about 4:53 p.m. after she walked into the kitchen where her daughter was giving the baby a bath, Lt. Mike Rosson said. 

“The mother was holding the baby in her arms, and the baby appeared to be in great distress,” Rosson said. “He was looking dead.”

Paramedics took the unresponsive baby to a nearby hospital where he was pronounced dead at 5:45 p.m., according to Los Angeles County coroner’s records. 

The coroner’s office has not listed a formal cause of death, pending toxicology results and other tests, Rosson said. However, he said, there is evidence the baby drowned in a small plastic bathtub in the kitchen.

After talking with investigators, the baby’s mother, Quannesha Brandon, a 31-year-old black woman, was arrested on suspicion of murder, Rosson said. 

Los Angeles County district attorney spokesman Ricardo Santiago said Brandon was charged Nov. 4 with murder, assault on a child causing death and aggravated mayhem, a charge related to causing a permanent or temporary physical disfiguration. 

Brandon pleaded not guilty to the charges when she was arraigned on Nov. 4. She is being held on $3 million bail, according to court records and next appears in court on  Nov. 17 in the Compton Courthouse.  

Brandon's two other children have been placed into protective custody, Rosson said. 

Anyone with information is asked to call the Sheriff’s Department Homicide Bureau at (323) 890-5500. Those wishing to remain anonymous should call Crime Stoppers at (800) 222-8477.  

Contact the Homicide Report. Follow @latimeshomicide on Twitter.