Washington Father Charged in Alleged Murder of 4-Year-Old Son, Body Discovered Beneath Residence: Reports

A Washington state father has been detained following allegations that he killed his 4-year-old son and concealed the body beneath his home.

Jacob Bevins, 36, faces charges of second-degree murder, first-degree manslaughter, illegal disposal of remains, and providing false information to a public official, according to FOX 13 Seattle.

The involvement with authorities began on May 12 when Aberdeen police encountered Bevins during a search for his missing 6-year-old daughter, as reported by the outlet.

Although the young girl was found safe with her mother, officers noticed the absence of her brother, Aiden Bevins.

Initially, Jacob Bevins claimed that Aiden was staying with relatives in another state. However, family members contradicted this, stating they had not seen the child, according to FOX 13.

During subsequent questioning, the father admitted to striking the 4-year-old on the head and killing him, local outlet KING 5 reported. He later changed his story, claiming he was chasing his son to the bathroom and he fell and hit his head.

Remains belonging to the child, who had been missing for about a year, were found May 15inside a garbage bag underneath the house, according to the outlet.

“My daughter said she saw dirt between the tree and the house,” Tammy Pratt, who lives in a nearby duplex, told FOX 13. “I have grandkids that come here and play too. I won’t let them go back there.”

Children’s toys were seen in a backyard near the scene. (KDFW)

Officials found the child’s injuries resulted from blunt force trauma, inconsistent with the father’s story, KING 5 reported.

Both children had previously been in the foster care system before being returned to their biological parents, former foster parents Gary and Magali Lopez told the outlet. They cited concerns about the children’s health and safety, noting they contacted Child Protective Services multiple times.