A 3-year-old boy is dead, and now his mother and her boyfriend face capital murder charges after what authorities describe as a pattern of horrific abuse that was deliberately hidden from medical professionals until it was too late.
Chelsea Rene Berg and Christopher Thomas Alexander have been charged with capital murder in the death of Berg’s son, Dawson Zamora, following a devastating series of events that began when Alexander brought the unresponsive child to Medical City McKinney emergency room on October 14, 2025, authorities said.
Hospital staff immediately recognized something was terribly wrong. The child’s injuries were extensive and in various stages of healing, showing a pattern inconsistent with Alexander’s explanation. Medical personnel documented severe brain trauma, extensive bruising, wounds to the chest and stomach, and anal trauma — all indicating systematic abuse over time.
A Pattern of Abuse
When Alexander arrived at the hospital with the child, he claimed he heard a “thud” before finding Dawson unresponsive, but couldn’t provide a clear explanation for the boy’s condition. Witnesses at the hospital overheard Alexander on the phone with Berg, admitting he “had to get rough with the child” and struck Dawson in the stomach while attempting to wake him.
What happened next? Alexander quickly lawyered up at the hospital and refused to speak with investigators. He was arrested that same evening on charges of injury to a child.
Berg initially told a different story. She claimed to investigators that she trusted Alexander to care for her son and insisted Dawson had no injuries when she left for work that morning. “Berg was shown photos of Dawson’s injuries, and she was adamant he did not have those injuries when she left for work,” according to official documents.
But digital evidence would tell a far more disturbing tale. Detectives discovered content on electronic devices showing Berg was well aware of ongoing abuse. The evidence revealed she had observed numerous injuries over preceding months and knew the dangers Alexander presented to her child — yet continued to leave Dawson in his care.
Deliberate Medical Neglect
Perhaps most shocking is what investigators found regarding the couple’s actions as Dawson’s condition worsened. The affidavit states that both Berg and Alexander deliberately avoided seeking medical treatment as the child’s health “rapidly declined” — a decision apparently motivated by fear of triggering a Child Protective Services investigation.
“The evidence suggests both Berg and Alexander knew the child’s health was rapidly declining but consciously failed to seek treatment,” the affidavit states. This calculated neglect forms part of the basis for the capital murder charges.
Authorities believe Berg “intentionally and knowingly caused the death of the child by leaving him in the care and custody of Alexander, whom she knew caused physical injury to her son, resulting in the child’s rapid decline and eventual death,” according to the documents.
Legal Proceedings
Both Berg and Alexander were arrested on October 16. Berg was initially charged with injury to a child and held on $100,000 bond, but following Dawson’s death, she was taken into custody on December 8 on upgraded capital murder charges.
Alexander remains in Collin County Jail facing multiple serious charges, including capital murder, stalking, and tampering with physical evidence.
Berg’s ex-husband now has custody of her other children, according to reports.
The case has sent shockwaves through the community as details emerge about the extent of abuse suffered by the 3-year-old. For now, the justice system will determine the fate of the two adults charged with responsibility for a life cut tragically short — a child whose suffering, authorities allege, could have been prevented had those responsible for his care sought help rather than concealment.
