Waco, TX— A Waco woman has been arrested after a disturbing video surfaced online showing her attempting to strangle a 15-month-old toddler using a pacifier holder. The woman, identified as Ledaxjia Montgomery, 23, was taken into custody on December 2, 2024, and charged with tampering with evidence and assault-strangulation, both third-degree felonies. She is being held at the McLennan County Jail on bonds totaling $12,500.
The video, which was recorded in May 2024, shows Montgomery impeding the toddler’s blood circulation and breathing, prompting an investigation by the Waco Police Department. While the video was initially reported to Child Protective Services (CPS) in May, the footage was not provided to authorities at the time, and no injuries were found on the children living with Montgomery. Investigators later learned that Montgomery had deleted her Facebook account shortly after the video went viral, hindering the initial investigation.
However, in late November 2024, the video began circulating again on social media, prompting renewed attention from law enforcement. Upon further investigation, Waco police confirmed that the video was recorded months earlier, in May, and had not been filmed recently. A member of Montgomery’s household identified her as the woman in the video, and further evidence showed that Montgomery was in Waco at the time of the incident.
During an interview with police, Montgomery denied being the woman in the video but acknowledged that the individual in the footage resembled her. When questioned about scars on the victim’s neck, stomach, and chest, Montgomery explained that the injuries were either caused by the child’s younger sibling or by an incident in which she claimed to have prevented the child from running into the street.
In addition to the charges related to the toddler, Montgomery is facing accusations from another woman who claims Montgomery beat and tortured her own children. The two women, who were both involved with the same man, had reportedly been involved in a heated online argument after the video resurfaced. During the exchange, Montgomery allegedly admitted to having tortured her children while in her care. Police later discovered that Montgomery had attempted to alter messages exchanged with the other woman, digitally obscuring portions of the text to prevent law enforcement from reading them.
Montgomery’s arrest marks a significant development in the ongoing investigation, as authorities work to piece together the full extent of the alleged abuse. Police are continuing to review evidence and investigate the broader context of the allegations against Montgomery.
