Dion Phelps, 29, faces a first-degree murder charge after the infant’s 2023 death in Southeast DC was ruled a homicide caused by blunt force trauma.
WASHINGTON, DC – A 29-year-old Southeast DC man has been charged with first-degree murder in the death of 7-month-old King Phelps, more than three years after the infant was found unresponsive at a home on Morris Road. The Metropolitan Police Department announced Friday that Dion Phelps was charged in connection with the March 2023 death, which the medical examiner ruled a homicide.
The arrest-related development came October 23, 2026, when members of the department’s Fugitive Unit went to DC Jail and charged Phelps pursuant to a DC Superior Court booking order. Police did not disclose why Phelps was already at the jail or describe the circumstances that led investigators to bring the murder charge more than three years after the child’s death.
King Phelps died March 16, 2023, after officers responded to a report of an unconscious infant in the 1300 block of Morris Road Southeast. The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner subsequently determined that the baby’s death resulted from complications of blunt force trauma.
Infant Found Unresponsive in Southeast DC in 2023
According to the Metropolitan Police Department’s October 23 announcement, Seventh District officers were dispatched to the 1300 block of Morris Road Southeast at approximately 2:18 a.m. on March 16, 2023.
The emergency call concerned an unconscious infant.
When officers arrived, they found the child unconscious and unresponsive. DC Fire and Emergency Medical Services personnel also responded to the location.
Emergency personnel found no signs of life, and King Phelps was pronounced dead at the scene.
The infant’s body remained at the location until it was transported to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner.
The medical examiner later concluded that complications from blunt force trauma caused the child’s death and classified the manner of death as homicide.
That determination established the death as a homicide, although it did not identify who was responsible.
The police department has not released additional details about the injuries or described the events that preceded the infant becoming unresponsive.
Murder Charge Filed More Than Three Years Later
The case reached a significant development Friday, October 23, when the Metropolitan Police Department announced a murder charge against Dion Phelps, 29, of Southeast DC.
Members of the department’s Fugitive Unit responded to DC Jail under a booking order issued by DC Superior Court.
Phelps was charged with first-degree murder (felony) in connection with the baby’s death.
The police release did not explain the relationship between Dion Phelps and King Phelps. Although they share a surname, authorities have not identified their relationship in the information released.
Investigators also did not disclose what evidence led to the charge or whether new information had emerged during the years following the infant’s death.
The announcement contained no allegations about a specific act committed by Phelps or an explanation of the underlying felony associated with the charge.
Those details may become clearer through subsequent court proceedings.
Phelps is accused of murder, but the charge is not a conviction. He is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
Questions Remain About the 2023 Homicide Investigation
The October 23 announcement marks a major development in a case that began with an emergency response to an unconscious baby in Southeast DC.
More than three and a half years passed between the infant’s death and the murder charge announced by police.
Authorities have not provided a timeline explaining the length of the investigation or the steps taken before the charge was filed.
The department also has not announced a trial date, described any scheduled court hearings or released information about Phelps’ legal representation.
The case is identified in police records as CCN 23040847.
King Phelps was just 7 months old when he died. His death was classified as a homicide following the medical examiner’s examination, and the latest police announcement identifies the man now accused in the case.
The next stage will unfold in the DC court system, where prosecutors must establish the allegations against Phelps under the applicable criminal standard of proof.
For now, the central development is a first-degree murder charge brought in October 2026 over the death of a Southeast DC infant in March 2023.