A young boy from Florida was tragically found deceased alongside his dog in the woods, days after he disappeared from his father’s home in Alabama on New Year’s Eve. Preliminary autopsy results suggest that 4-year-old Johnathan Boley likely succumbed to hypothermia.
Walker County Coroner Joey Vick shared with WVTM 13 on Thursday that the initial findings pointed towards hypothermia as the cause of death, ruling out drowning as a possibility.
The little boy, affectionately called “John John” by his family, was discovered on January 2 by a group of volunteers searching a wooded area in Jasper. His body was partially submerged in water, and he was found without his shoes, about two miles from where he had last been seen.
Authorities earlier in the week confirmed that there were no indications of trauma or assault-related injuries on Boley, according to reports by WBRC.
The final autopsy report is anticipated to be available next week, providing more definitive insights into the circumstances surrounding his death.
Boley, who lived in Florida with his mother, was spending the holidays with his father. He was last observed playing in the yard with his older brother and their mixed Labrador puppy, Buck, shortly before noon on New Year’s Eve.
The boy’s father, Jameson, reported the child missing an hour later when Boley failed to return home after walking across the property line with his loyal pooch.
After a two-day search that drew hundreds of volunteers and police, the youngster was found in the woods with Buck, who was alive and by his side.
While the boy’s death still remains a mystery, Jameson, 40, was arrested after cops found at least eight explosive devices inside and around his home. The shocking discovery forced officials to cancel a ground search in the area.
Methamphetamines were also discovered inside the home.
He was charged with unlawful manufacturing of a destructive device and two counts of chemical endangerment of a child.
