Suspect in 6-year-old's death in Montgomery custody

Rebecca Burylo
Montgomery Advertiser

The suspect wanted in the slaying of a 6-year-old boy after an SUV crashed into an apartment and struck him, is now in Montgomery custody after being found in Georgia March 5 following an extensive search.

Juan Daniels, of Montgomery, was initially found by the U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force and was extradited to Montgomery Friday where he is currently being held at the Montgomery County Detention Facility under a $500,000 cash bond.

Daniels, 28, faces a capital murder of a child charge in connection with the death of 6-year-old Aiden Howard. Aiden was hit by a 2004 GMC Yukon that was driven at a high rate of speed into the apartment he was visiting at 1223 Centennial Way Feb. 12. Ten days later, Aiden succumbed to brain injuries at Children's Hospital in Birmingham and was pronounced dead.

The warrant for Daniels' arrest was upgraded from attempted murder after Aiden was pronounced dead.

Daniels also faces an attempted murder charge and is accused of intentionally driving the Yukon into the apartment in order to cause harm to an adult male he was having an argument with that night. The apartment had five individuals in it at the time of the crash.

A motion was made by District Attorney Daryl Bailey to increase Daniels' bond from $60,000 to $500,000 in cash for the seriousness of the crime and based upon previous convictions. Daniels was convicted in 2009 for animal cruelty in burning his mother's dog and convicted of owning a short-barrel shotgun.

Aiden was laid to rest Feb. 28 at True Diving Baptist Church on Troy Highway where hundreds attended his funeral and gave their final farewells.

He was a first-grade student at Seth Johnson Elementary School and was a football star on the Elite Midget Football Team in Montgomery.