That boy, 2-year-old Byron McDonald, along with his father and an adult woman, were found in a room at the Aloft Hotel near Philadelphia International Airport.
A hotel employee noticed he was looking for the car police and called the police. A strong police presence was observed at the hotel while officers were conducting a search.
Action News was there when the boy’s father, identified as Byron McDonald II, was seen escorted out of the hotel with handcuffs.
According to sources, the woman found in the hotel room was the mother of the suspect.
Police said McDonald, 28, is suspected of two homicides: the murders of the boy’s mother and the boy’s grandmother.
One of those murders occurred around 1:30 a.m. Friday at block 2500 N. Bancroft Street, which was also when the boy disappeared.
In this case, Tamara Aikens, 50, was shot dead.
The other murder happened shortly after 9 a.m. at block 4800 8th Street. A 25-year-old woman was found shot in the face in the dining room of a house and was pronounced dead at the scene.
According to sources, the woman was identified as Morgan Braxton and there were domestic disputes between her and McDonald.
Guests were evacuated from the hotel on Monday afternoon as the search was underway.
“I think someone tried to call our phone from downstairs, he tried to tell us maybe we were staying in our room. But we went back downstairs to try to get food anyway,” said Alicia Johnson of Upper Darby.
It’s a relief for Johnson and his friend, Donte Mosley, who says he got confused with McDonald’s.
“I said,‘ why are the cops following us? “I just got out of jail this morning,” he said.
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