Moments before Darriynn Brown’s trial was expected to begin Monday, he pleaded guilty to first-degree felony murder.
DALLAS — Darriynn Brown has been sentenced to life in prison after pleading guilty to the stabbing death of 4-year-old Cash Gernon.
Moments before Brown’s trial was expected to begin Monday, he pleaded guilty to first-degree felony murder.
In May 2021, Dallas police said surveillance video showed Brown carrying a sleeping Gernon from his bedroom hours before Gernon was found in a puddle of blood, with multiple stab wounds in the 7500 block of Saddleridge Drive.
Brown, who was 18 at the time of the alleged crime, was initially declared incompetent to stand trial by a Dallas County Judge. But earlier this year, that decision was reversed when a court ruled Brown’s competency was restored while receiving treatment at the facility where he was kept.
According to an arrest warrant, investigators searched Brown’s room after Gernon was found dead. They collected an Adidas zipper hoodie, a pair of shoes, and a pair of dark-colored sunglasses and sent the items to the lab.
Police documents state that all three items tested positive for Gernon’s blood. Following Brown’s arrest, a motive was never released.
According to Court TV, following Brown’s sentencing, prosecutors read three victim impact statements from Gernon’s family.
In one statement, Gernon’s father, Trevor Gernon, said his son’s death has reduced him to a fraction of his former self, and he would’ve given his life to defend Cash’s. Trevor said he was initially in favor of the death penalty for Brown, but his son’s death wasn’t “painless or humane,” and instead wanted Brown to live out his life behind bars.