Lawerence Perryman, a 76-year-old resident of Washington, D.C., was arrested and charged with first-degree cruelty to children and first-degree felony murder in connection with the death of a 17-month-old child. The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Perryman appeared before Superior Court Magistrate Judge Dorsey Jones on January 23, 2026. Judge Jones determined there was probable cause for the charges and ordered Perryman to be held without bond until a preliminary hearing scheduled for February 2, 2026, before Judge Neal Kravitz.
Court documents state that on March 12, 2025, around 7:00 a.m., Perryman called 911 after finding the child unconscious. A post-mortem examination found the cause of death to be “Combined Toxic Effects of Diphenhydramine and Methadone.”
Interim Chief Jeffrey Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department joined in announcing the arrest.
The Metropolitan Police Department is investigating the case, which is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Emma McArthur.
“These charges are merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.”
