17-Year-Old Charged With Capital Murder in Death of 3-Month-Old: Affidavit

A 17-year-old babysitter faces a capital murder charge in the death of a 3-month-old boy, according to an arrest warrant affidavit.

Tynia Nicole Johnson was watching Ashton Smith on Sunday, Feb. 16 when she called at about 12 p.m. to tell his mother and great uncle that the baby was ill, the affidavit says.

The great uncle, James Pedyfoot, picked Ashton Smith from Johnson in the 11000 block of Walnut Hill Lane in Dallas, then picked up the boy's mother, Aspen Smith, from work before he drove the boy to Dallas Regional Medical Center in Mesquite, according to the document. Ashton Smith was then transferred to Children's Medical Center Dallas.

According to the affidavit, Pedyfoot told authorities Smith was "breathing irregularly and his arms were stiff" when he picked him up from Johnson.

Doctors later concluded Ashton Smith likely had a traumatic brain injury and found a skull fracture, which was "consistent with blunt force trauma," the affidavit says.

Ashton Smith was pronounced dead at 4:24 p.m. on Feb. 19.

Johnson's father, Jerry Johnson, was interviewed and said Ashton Smith was in good condition until he left the location on Walnut Hill Lane.