The mother of a missing two-month-old infant has been arrested and charged with felony murder, D.C. police told WTOP. Police said as of Friday night they had not yet found the infant’s body.
At a hearing Saturday in D.C. Superior Court, Ladonia Boggs, the missing child’s mother, was released without bond. A court clerk said the mother was charged with felony murder and tampering with physical evidence.
A State’s Attorney representing the District asked for Boggs to be released on “high intensity” monitoring, which involves a curfew, GPS monitoring, drug testing and refraining from alcohol and drug use. They also asked that Boggs be placed on a “stay away” order, which would limit her contact with minors.
The residing judge only granted the stay away order, which means Boggs cannot be with any child under the age of 18 without a person 18 years of age or older also present to supervise.
During the hearing it was said that Boggs had an 18-year-old daughter and grandson.
Boggs’ attorney, Joseph Yarbough from the D.C. Public Defender’s Office, said his client only has “a minor criminal history” with the most recent case four years ago.
“The last two incidences of her probation terminated satisfactorily,” Yarbough said. “She can comply with release conditions.”
Yarbough said Boggs will have “substantial assistance from the the public defender’s office,” including representation from three attorneys and a forensic social worker.
Yarbough further argued that Boggs has cooperated with the investigation and the mother is not a flight risk.
“Throughout the course of the investigation with the Metropolitan Police Department and CSFA, she has availed herself of both agencies. In fact, she’s gone out of her way to contact them voluntarily and directly and sitting down with them,” Yarbough said.
The State’s Attorney said Boggs now has a case open with the District’s Child and Family Services Agency. Her next court date is November 19 at 9:30 a.m.
Two-month-old Kyon Jones was first reported missing on May 7, according to police. But the last time he was seen was two days earlier on May 5, in the 1500 block of Benning Road Northeast in D.C.
According to a press release, officers made a welfare check for Jones at approximately 1:10 p.m. on May 7. Police found 37-year-old Ladonia Boggs, who police said was “unaware of the infant’s whereabouts.” The department’s Youth and Family Services Division arrived to the home and started investigating Jones’ disappearance.
Police sent out an urgent plea on Twitter asking for anyone with information to contact their office.
Critical #MissingPerson 2 month-old Kyon Jones, who was last seen in 1500 block of Benning Road, Northeast, on Wednesday, May 5, 2021. This incident was reported on Friday, May 7, 2021
Have info? Call (202) 727-9099/text 50411 pic.twitter.com/BnSfwzbenx
— DC Police Department (@DCPoliceDept) May 8, 2021
Three days later, on May 10, a Virginia law enforcement agency joined the investigation, searching a waste management landfill in Charles City County, Virginia, an area 130 miles south of D.C.
“Charles City County Sheriff’s Office is currently assisting the District of Columbia (DC) Metropolitan Police Department in the search of a missing infant case at the Waste Management Landfill in Charles City County. At this time, the child has not been located,” a Facebook post stated.
At the time, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser was unsure whether the infant’s family had been on the radar of the D.C. Child and Family Services Agency.
On Thursday, sources said D.C. police were holding out hope the infant was still alive. But at the same time, a video shared on social media by missing persons community activist Henderson Long confused matters. Boggs recalled being in bed with her son and realizing he had stopped breathing.
Boggs continued by saying she left the house to take a walk to try and decide what to do.
“And when I came back in the house, I noticed that he wasn’t breathing anymore. So I went, I was, I came back in the house and got a blanket and his car seat and wrapped up. And took of it outside and disposed of it in the trash. And that’s what happened,” she said.
D.C. Police Chief Robert Contee briefly spoke with reporters about the situation Thursday.
New-DC Police Chief Robert Contee says police have obtained video of the mother of missing 2 month old Kyon Jones throwing things in the trash. It’s unclear if those things included the baby. Listen to the Chief. @nbcwashington pic.twitter.com/jlMANRROud
— Paul Wagner (@paulcwagner) May 13, 2021
On Friday, Boggs was arrested and charged with felony murder.
Police said due to the “suspicious nature” of Jones’s disappearance, the homicide branch will take over the investigation.
WTOP’s Valerie Bonk and Jose Umana contributed to this report.
