COLUMBUS, Ohio — The mother of a missing 14-month-old Maryland boy who was left on the front porch of a stranger's home in Columbus was arrested on Tuesday as authorities began a recovery effort because they believe he may be dead. Officers conducted a day-long search with a dive team and helicopter after Dainesha Stevens admitted she and a male acquaintance left the boy, Cameron Beckford, because they could no longer care for him.
Sgt. Rich Weiner, a Columbus police spokesman, said information obtained by police investigators caused the search to switch to a recovery effort. A missing-child alert said Stevens abandoned her son Friday night. He was wearing a puffy black coat, gray pants, black and red boots and a gray elephant hat. Police say he's black with brown eyes and a Mohawk hairstyle. Stevens was in custody late Tuesday charged with child endangerment and tampering with evidence.
