Baltimore, Maryland – A Baltimore mother says she is still in shock after prosecutors announced no charges will be filed in the in-custody death of her son following a mental health crisis. The decision has renewed scrutiny of how the city handles behavioral health emergencies and whether current police-led responses are failing vulnerable residents.
Incident Overview
Dontae Melton Jr. died in June 2025 after being restrained by police during a mental health emergency near the intersection of Franklin Street and Franklintown Road. This week, the Maryland Attorney General’s Office announced it would not prosecute any of the 10 responding officers, despite the medical examiner ruling Melton’s death a homicide.
Melton’s mother, Eleshiea Goode, said the findings left her “in disbelief” and deeply concerned that similar incidents could happen again.
Timeline of Events
According to investigators, Melton approached police seeking help, something his mother said he had been taught to do. Officers restrained him “for his own safety” and requested an ambulance, but medical help never arrived due to a dispatch system failure.
Body-worn camera footage reviewed by investigators showed officers noting that Melton’s pulse was racing and his body temperature was elevated, signs that his mental health crisis was becoming a medical emergency…