Man Arrested for Beating Girlfriend's Daughter to Death: Police

A man in Texas has been arrested in connection with the death of a toddler reported missing from her home on Sunday afternoon, according to Arlington police.

Joshua Beard, 20, has been charged with capital murder in connection with the death of his girlfriend's 19-month-old daughter.

Originally, Beard's aunt called police, from a motel in the 1800 block of West Pleasant Ridge Road, to report the toddler missing.  

As officers continued to investigate, though, they suspected foul play.

"We believed from the very onset that there was probably foul play involved," said Lt. Christopher Cook of the Arlington Police Department.

Police believe Beard beat 19-month-old Tylea Moore inside the house he shared with the toddler's mother, Alexis Botello, in the 2200 block of Polo Club Court.

According to the search warrant, Arlington police say Beard is accused of intentionally or knowingly causing Moore's death "by hitting her with closed fists, open hands and stomping on her with his feet."

According to the warrant affidavit, Botello told officers her boyfriend, Beard, killed her daughter. According to the search warrant, the couple drove to Springtown in Parker County "...found a bridge in a remote area. They dug a grave and buried Tylea."

Botello led investigators to the area where detectives found remains, but the remains haven't been positively identified yet.

"This is an unfortunate, just tragic, tragic case," Cook said. "Number one, we thought we were dealing with a missing child. That already is unnerving for a community. But then, when foul play is suspected early on, it is just very traumatic for all of our officers, detectives and also all our crime scene personnel working the case."

Meanwhile, a grandfather in San Antonio, is dealing with a range of emotions.

"She was perfect, she was a perfect baby," said Ricardo Botello, his daughter is the child's mother. "Tylea's personality, it was a mystique, it was captivating, no one could not stop and stare."

Police haven't ruled out charging the child's mother or additional charges for Beard who was already in jail on unrelated charges.

"She's as much to blame, I mean she has blame. She deserves to be punished for what she's done, there's no other way to say it," said Ricardo Botello.

Botello told NBC 5's Ray Villeda his daughter and granddaughter had come to live with him for a short time, and then moved back to North Texas. He wanted them to stay, to help raise the child.

"She was and forever will be ours," he said.

It’s not immediately clear if Beard has an attorney.

NBC 5's Julie Fine and Ray Villeda contributed to this report.

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