A Man Who Asked for Help
On the evening of June 24, 2025, 31-year-old Dontae Melton Jr. — a son, father, brother, beloved cousin, grandson, and nephew — was in the midst of a mental health crisis in West Baltimore. He approached a police officer at an intersection — his very first words were, "This is an emergency." He was begging for help.
Instead of receiving mental health crisis support, Dontae was restrained, handcuffed, and leg-shackled by officers. Police claim at least one crisis-trained officer was present — a claim the family and their attorneys dispute.
Officers called for EMS — but an ambulance never came. Baltimore's computer-aided dispatch system was down that night, meaning police and fire could not communicate. The medic was never dispatched. Dontae lay on the ground for nearly 50 minutes, crying out "I can't breathe" — as officers stood by.
Police eventually placed him in a patrol car and drove him to Grace Medical Center — a hospital less than three minutes away. He arrived unresponsive. Dontae Melton Jr. died on June 25, 2025.
His mother, Eleshiea Goode — a licensed clinician — had begged the court to issue an emergency mental health petition for her son in the 48 hours before his death. The system failed him at every turn.
“He asked for help — and they ignored him. My son was treated like he didn’t matter, but he did. He was human. He deserved care, not a death sentence.”
On August 28, 2025, the Maryland Office of the Chief Medical Examiner ruled Dontae's death a homicide. In January 2026, the Attorney General's Independent Investigations Division concluded its investigation and declined to file criminal charges — a decision his family condemns. The family, represented by Greenberg Law Offices, intends to file a civil lawsuit against the Baltimore Police Department and the City of Baltimore.
