McKinney mother charged with capital murder after death of toddler
Chelsea Rene Berg, 30 (Source: Collin County Jail)
McKINNEY, Texas - The three-year-old McKinney boy who suffered severe injuries in October has died, leading prosecutors to upgrade the charge against his mother, Chelsea Berg, to capital murder.
McKinney toddler child abuse case
The Latest:
The child, Dawson Zamora, died on Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025, the date of his father’s birthday, according to a wrenching social media post by the father announcing the tragic news.
Dawson Zamora, 3 (Source: Family)
"My son Dawson has passed away," said Dahrian Zamora. "He held on to spend one last birthday with me and refused to go until then."
Following the child's death, Berg, 30, was taken into custody on the upgraded charge of capital murder. Dahrian Zamora stated the charge was brought "due to her lack of effort in protecting our children," suggesting her alleged failure to intervene contributed to the death. He also said a six-page arrest affidavit detailing the evidence would soon become public.
Chelsea Rene Berg, 30 and Christopher Thomas Alexander, 30 (Source: Collin County Jail)
Berg’s boyfriend, Christopher Alexander, 30, remains in the Collin County Jail where he has been held since his arrest in October. According to the Collin County Jail roster, Alexander's charges have not yet been upgraded, and he continues to face charges of Injury to a Child and Tampering with Physical Evidence.
The backstory:
The couple was originally arrested after Alexander took the child to a hospital on Oct. 14, 2025, where staff noted the boy’s severe brain trauma and extensive bruising; injuries deemed inconsistent with Alexander's explanation that the child may have fallen off a bed.
Initial affidavits revealed text messages between Berg and Alexander dating back weeks that showed Berg was aware of previous injuries, once warning Alexander that he was "quite literally a threat to my son."
'You're DANGEROUS." Affidavit details mother's texts before son's severe brain trauma
Text messages reveal a McKinney mother had confronted her boyfriend about her 3-year-old son’s injuries a month before the child was hospitalized with severe brain trauma.
Capital Murder is the highest offense in Texas, carrying a potential sentence of death or life in prison without parole.
The Source: Information in this article is from the Collin County Jail and a social media post from