A missing four-year-old boy from Washington state has been found dead and his mother has been charged in the gruesome murder in which she allegedly dumped his lifeless body on the side of the road.
Ariel Garcia’s body was found along a stretch of road on Interstate 5 just before 6 p.m. Thursday, less than 24 hours after a family member reported him missing under suspicious circumstances.
Washington State Patrol issued an endangered missing person alert and launched a massive search for little Ariel, involving nearly 100 officers, agents and investigators from several jurisdictions, including the FBI.
The next day, the boy’s mother, Jessica Garcia, was arrested in Vancouver by Everett police.
Ariel Garcia’s body was found along a stretch of Interstate 5 in Pierce County by Everett Police detectives just before 6 p.m. Thursday, less than 24 hours after a family member reported him missing under suspicious circumstances.
When confronted by police, Garcia told them that her son had fallen from his bed and hit his head, and that she had later been dropped off at someone’s apartment in Seattle.
When deputies from the Clark County Sheriff’s Office arrived on the scene, they said Garcia had bloodstains on her shoes and her shirt.
The apartment where Ariel Garcia lived with his mother Jessica Garcia
Police said Garcia was a person of interest early in the investigation and they were monitoring her whereabouts.
Garcia was charged with first- and second-degree murder and first-degree assault of a child, according to an Everett Police Department news release.
She is currently being held in the Snohomish County Jail.
On March 25, two days before Ariel went missing, the boy’s grandmother granted emergency custody of her grandson. Fox 13 reported.
She stated that her daughter has problems with drugs and alcohol that have worsened in recent months, describing her as “violent and unpredictable,” according to court documents, the news outlet reported.
The grandmother reportedly told the court that her daughter should have limited or no visitation, citing physical child abuse.
After the trial, Ariel mysteriously disappeared with a family member.
The child’s unnamed grandmother feared for her own safety, according to a newspaper story Everett Herald.
The grandmother said that if her daughter knew about the custody case, she “might harm me or try to run away with Ariel and harm him in the process.”
The Washington State Patrol issued an endangered missing person alert for Ariel in the early hours of March 28.
Officials said the case did not meet the criteria for an AMBER Alert. The warning was distributed across the state on social media and on people’s phones.
The child’s body was found minutes before the alarm went out, police said.
An autopsy will be performed by the Snohomish County Medical Examiner, which will determine the manner and cause of his death
A friend told investigators that Ariel and his mother were staying with her, according to FOX 13.
Garcia’s girlfriend told reporters she saw a “substantial” amount of blood on the floor, but Ariel and his mother were nowhere to be found. Fox news reported.
When deputies from the Clark County Sheriff’s Office arrived on the scene, they said Garcia had bloodstains on her shoes and shirt.
She told investigators that her son fell from his bed and hit his head.
She reportedly tried to take him to a hospital in Everett, but the wait was too long, the Clark County newspaper reported, citing a police report. Everett Herald.
The police took her into custody because making false and misleading statements within hours of Ariel being reported missing.
On the same day, her vehicle, a four-door blue 2013 Nissan Sentra, was seized by CCSO.
On March 25, two days before Ariel went missing, the boy’s grandmother granted emergency custody of her grandson.
An autopsy will be performed by the Snohomish County Medical Examiner, who will determine the cause and manner of death.
Everett Mayor Cassie Franklin issued a statement on the tragic boy’s death, praising the Everett Police Department and the other law enforcement partners who worked on the case.
“I am heartbroken for the family and friends of Ariel Garcia and they will remain in my thoughts as they grieve this incredibly tragic loss,” he said.
Everett Police Chief John DeRousse spoke on behalf of his team.
“On behalf of the Everett Police Department, I would like to share our condolences with the loved ones of young Ariel Garcia. This is not the result we had hoped for’
‘I would like to thank all our partners who have stepped up to support this search. Our investigation will continue and we will do everything we can to ensure justice is served for this young boy.”
Major Crimes Detectives from the Everett Police Department are actively involved in this case and will continue to investigate.
Anyone with information about this incident is asked to call the Everett Police TIP LINE at (425) 257-8450 or tips@everettwa.gov.