A Kentucky mother who publicly begged for help when her 10-year-old son went missing has been charged after his body was found buried in a shallow grave, according to police.
Jayden Spicer’s remains were recovered in a “heavily wooded area” of rural Breathitt Countyon Tuesday afternoon — six days after he was reported missing, according to Kentucky State Police.
Felicia Gross, the mom of a boy who was found dead, was arrested in connection with his death. Kentucky River Regional JailThe boy’s mom, 33-year-old Felicia Gross of Jackson, was arrested and charged with manslaughter, abuse of a corpse, tampering with evidence and falsely reporting an incident, trooper Matt Gayheart told reporters.
Gross had earlier provided a handwritten statement to the media begging for help, Fox 56 reported.
Jayden Spicer was found dead in a shallow grave after going missing. Kentucky State Police“We love Jayden and we want him safe at home please if anybody see [sic] my son Jayden Spicer please report it to the Jackson police department,” the mom had scrawled last Thursday, five days before the body was found, according to
“Thank you we love him very much please do the right thing call the police please pray for us and my son Jayden thank you.”
Police were initially told that Jayden went to bed the night of Tuesday, Aug. 5 — but couldn’t be found the next morning, according to WKYT.
Gross provided a handwritten statement to the media begging for help to find her son. Kentucky State PoliceHowever, after her arrest, the mom claimed the boy died from an overdose of sleeping medication she gave him — and that she buried him in a plastic box in a panic, according to police documents obtained by WKYT.
Gross also allegedly coached Jayden’s siblings on what to say when they were interviewed by police, the documents alleged.
Authorities searched for the missing child before he was found dead in a shallow grave. WKYTThe disappearance sparked days of searching in the area around the boy’s home until investigators received a new tip Monday night that led them to Jayden’s body, police said.
The boy’s remains were sent to the state Medical Examiner’s Office in Frankfort for an autopsy, officials said.
Jayden Spicer, 10, was found dead in a shallow grave. Courtesy familyGayheart said no additional information is being released at this time as police continue to investigate.
Gross, who previously served one year in jail for endangering the welfare of a minor, is being held at the Kentucky River Regional Jail, according to Lex 18.
