PALMDALE, California – A father is facing charges of murdering his 3-week-old baby, Baki Dewees, whose disappearance led to a search of an Antelope Valley landfill in early May. Yusuf Dewees, 24, has been charged with murder, assault on a child causing death, and child abuse under circumstances likely to cause great bodily injury. He is currently in custody in Ogden, Utah, with plans for arraignment in Los Angeles.
The infant Baki Dewees was last seen on May 3 in the company of his father, according to family members. The child’s whereabouts remain unknown, despite extensive efforts by Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies to locate his body in the Antelope Valley Landfill.
Yusuf Dewees’ arrest in Utah on suspicion of making false statements and obstructing justice raised further suspicions regarding Baki’s disappearance. Reports suggest that Dewees misled authorities in Utah when questioned about the baby’s whereabouts. The reasons behind the murder charge filed against Dewees are still unclear, but prosecutors are seeking a $2 million bail upon his return to Los Angeles, with the potential for a life sentence if convicted.
Tragic details continue to emerge surrounding the case, with revelations that Baki’s mother, Rosealani Gaoa, had been arrested in Utah on child abuse charges involving one of her other three children. Following Gaoa’s arrest, Dewees returned to the family home in Palmdale with the remaining children before abruptly leaving for Utah. Subsequently, Baki was never seen again, and the other two children were placed under the care of welfare officials in Utah. These developments have left family members distraught and searching for answers.
The case remains ongoing as authorities work to uncover the truth behind Baki Dewees’ disappearance and bring justice to those involved. The community awaits further updates as the investigation progresses, hoping for closure in the heartbreaking tragedy that has unfolded in Palmdale.