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The search for 10-year-old Kentucky boy Jayden Spicer has come to a tragic conclusion.
The Kentucky State Police announced that the remains of a boy were discovered in a shallow grave on Canoe Road, Breathitt County, at approximately 3 p.m. on Tuesday, August 12. Trooper Matt Gayheart informed at a press conference on Wednesday that Jayden’s body is being sent to the medical examiner’s office in Frankfort for an autopsy.
Trooper Gayheart stated that Jayden’s mother, Felicia Gross, 33, has been arrested and is facing charges of manslaughter, abuse of a corpse, tampering with physical evidence, and filing a false report. Jail records indicate that she is currently held at the Kentucky River Regional Jail.
The search for Jayden commenced nearly a week prior to the discovery of his body, as his family reported him missing from their residence in Jackson on Wednesday, August 6, according to the Lexington Herald-Leader. The last sighting of the 10-year-old was around 9 p.m. the night before, when he was dressed in Sonic the Hedgehog pajamas.
Felicia Gross pleaded for help
According to Fox 56, Felicia issued a statement to the public a day after her son went missing. In her handwritten note, she expressed a wish for her son’s safe return home.
“Please if anybody see my son Jayden Spicer please report it to the Jackson Police Department. 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,” her statement read.
In an August 8 Facebook post, Trooper Gayheart stated that the Kentucky State Police had conducted thorough searches in high-priority areas and continued to utilize all available resources, but had not yet located the 10-year-old.
What happened to Jayden Spicer?
A break in the case came on Tuesday, August 12, when the State Police “received new information related to the disappearance” of Jayden that helped them identify a new area to search, according to a separate Facebook statement from Trooper Gayheart. That’s when Jayden’s remains were found and the case changed from a missing person investigation to an active criminal investigation.
Gayheart added that in order to protect the integrity of the investigation, specific details in the case won’t be released at this time.
“I would like to take a moment to thank the many different organizations that assisted in the search efforts for Jayden,” Trooper Gayheart said. “All of the volunteers that spent numerous hours and days trying to locate him. Thank you to every person that sent tips or even shared a social media post. Thank you for the many prayers that were prayed, and we ask that you continue to pray for a community that grieves during this tragic loss.”
