Jayden Spicer, 10, August 6, 2025 *mother arrested*

[Lemon481]

Every child deserves parents, but not every parent deserves children.

I hope that his parents are brought to justice. I can't even imagine the cruelty it would take to do something like that to your own child.

 

[tlcya]

On Thursday, a judge entered a not guilty plea on her behalf and appointed Gross a public defender.
[snip]
Gross is scheduled to be back in court on August 18 for a preliminary hearing
Mother pleads not guilty in death of Jayden Spicer

Ky. mother accused in 10-year-old son’s death makes first court appearance video at link

 

[JennieM]

Mother pleads not guilty in death of Jayden Spicer​

JACKSON, Ky. (Court TV/Scripps News Lexington) — A Kentucky mother charged in the death of her once missing son pleaded not guilty at her arraignment Thursday.

Felicia Gross is charged with second-degree manslaughter, abuse of a corpse, tampering with physical evidence, and falsely reporting an incident after authorities located Jayden Spicer’s remains days after he was reported missing.

[…]

Court records reviewed by Scripps News Lexington indicate Gross has a history with Child Protective Services. She pleaded guilty in 2017 to a misdemeanor charge of endangering the welfare of a minor and served a year in jail.

Scripps News Lexington requested copies from the Breathitt County District Court, but was told the records are confidential because a minor is involved. It is unclear if the 2015 case involved Spicer.

Other online court records dating back to 2013 and 2019 indicate Gross’s mother, Shirley Johnson, had petitioned for child support from Gross. Again, it is unclear if the case involved Spicer.

She is currently housed at the Kentucky River Regional Jail. Gross is scheduled to be back in court on August 18 for a preliminary hearing.

MSN

 

[Tortoise]

It doesn't feel right to me when media refers to children by their surname only.

 

[Chimera]

Rule 504 Husband-wife privilege (a) Spousal testimony.
The spouse of a party has a privilege to refuse to testify against the party as to events occurring after the date of their marriage. A party has a privilege to prevent his or her spouse from testifying against the party as to events occurring after the date of their marriage.

(b) Marital communications. An individual has a privilege to refuse to testify and to prevent another from testifying to any confidential communication made by the individual to his or her spouse during their marriage. The privilege may be asserted only by the individual holding the privilege or by the holder's guardian, conservator, or personal representative. A communication is confidential if it is made privately by an individual to his or her spouse and is not intended for disclosure to any other person.

(c) Exceptions. There is no privilege under this rule:

(1) In any criminal proceeding in which the court determines that the spouses conspired or acted jointly in the commission of the crime charged;

(2) In any proceeding in which one (1) spouse is charged with wrongful conduct against the person or property of:
(A) The other;
(B) A minor child of either;
(C) An individual residing in the household of either; or
(D) A third person if the wrongful conduct is committed in the course of wrongful conduct against any of the individuals previously named in this sentence; or

(3) In any proceeding in which the spouses are adverse parties.
(d) Minor child. The court may refuse to allow the privilege in any proceeding if the interests of a minor child of either spouse may be adversely affected. Effective: May 31, 2006 History: Enacted 1990 Ky. Acts ch. 88, sec. 26; amended 1992 Ky. Acts ch. 324, sec. 9; renumbered (7/1/92) pursuant to 1992 Ky. Acts ch. 324, sec. 34; amended May 31, 2006, Supreme Court of Kentucky Order 2006-06.

MOO spousal privilege would not apply here. Because it involves a crime against the person of a minor child within their household. But IANAL. We have some excellent verified attorneys at WS, I am sure one of them can weigh in on whether I am interpreting correctly

ETA as to the red, I suspect that one will come into play as well.

Thanks so much, @tlcya !
So that 'spousal privilege' has an exception re. (c) for any wrongful conduct person/property/minor child.

My .02 is that the husband knew something or could have even participated in the tampering of a corpse; as it's doubtful LG did this all by herself.

I hate to think of the trauma Jayden went through before his death.
Even without physical abuse which we don't know yet -- food deprivation takes some time to show, and emotional or verbal abuse do not physically manifest themselves in a child's appearance.
Most likely -- neither adult wanted that child in the house at all, and it's just so horrible and senseless.
She had other options rather than to overdose him on sleep meds.
Imo.

 

[JennieM]

Mother pleads not guilty in death of Jayden Spicer​

JACKSON, Ky. (Court TV/Scripps News Lexington) — A Kentucky mother charged in the death of her once missing son pleaded not guilty at her arraignment Thursday.

Felicia Gross is charged with second-degree manslaughter, abuse of a corpse, tampering with physical evidence, and falsely reporting an incident after authorities located Jayden Spicer’s remains days after he was reported missing.

[…]

Court records reviewed by Scripps News Lexington indicate Gross has a history with Child Protective Services. She pleaded guilty in 2017 to a misdemeanor charge of endangering the welfare of a minor and served a year in jail.

Scripps News Lexington requested copies from the Breathitt County District Court, but was told the records are confidential because a minor is involved. It is unclear if the 2015 case involved Spicer.

Other online court records dating back to 2013 and 2019 indicate Gross’s mother, Shirley Johnson, had petitioned for child support from Gross. Again, it is unclear if the case involved Spicer.

She is currently housed at the Kentucky River Regional Jail. Gross is scheduled to be back in court on August 18 for a preliminary hearing.

MSN

Replying to my own post, sorry, but Jayden would have been 2 years old when she pleaded guilty in 2017 to a misdemeanor charge of endangering the welfare of a minor.

Her charge, if it relates to Jayden, just WHY would they return him to her?

 

[Chimera]

Every child deserves parents, but not every parent deserves children.

I hope that his parents are brought to justice. I can't even imagine the cruelty it would take to do something like that to your own child.

Emphasis mine.
So true !!!!


Welcome to Websleuths , @Lemon481 !!

 

[Inthedetails]

Most likely -- neither adult wanted that child in the house at all, and it's just so horrible and senseless.
She had other options rather than to overdose him on sleep meds.
Imo.

snipped

I'll believe the overdose story when it's confirmed by tox results.

jmopinion

 

[Toniab329]

Replying to my own post, sorry, but Jayden would have been 2 years old when she pleaded guilty in 2017 to a misdemeanor charge of endangering the welfare of a minor.

Her charge, if it relates to Jayden, just WHY would they return him to her?

Considering she had 6 children, at least 3 younger than Jayden, it could have been any of them. Your point is valid, regardless. They should have been taken away and kept away.

 

[Chimera]

Ky. mother accused in 10-year-old son’s death makes first court appearance

The Kentucky mother accused in the death of her 10-year-old son, Jayden Spicer, made her first court appearance Thursday morning.

www.wkyt.com

Felicia G. appears almost bored, not at all upset at what she's currently being charged with ?

I will say the lady in the video at about 0:46 looks more devastated than Jayden's egg donor.

Mother pleads not guilty in death of Jayden Spicer

On Thursday, a judge entered a not guilty plea on Felicia Gross' behalf and appointed her a public defender.

www.courttv.com

Mother accused of coaching siblings on what to say before 10-year-old found in shallow grave, police say

An arrest citation is revealing new details about the death of a 10-year-old boy whose body was recovered in Kentucky Tuesday afternoon.

www.dakotanewsnow.com

".... Gross is charged with manslaughter, abuse of a corpse, tampering with evidence, falsely reporting and witness tampering...."
Rbm.

Not certain about the penalties for that last charge, but hoping extra time in incarceration can be added in the witness tampering.
She should not be allowed around children ever again !
Imo.

Felicia Gross pleaded 'not guilty'....
Because of course she did.

It was all an unfortunate accident, right ??
Will not be surprised one bit if the charges are upgraded.
Omo.

 

[Kitsey]

Her stupid note is the most incriminating piece of evidence.

 

[Chimera]

Her stupid note is the most incriminating piece of evidence.

Wonder if she wrote it herself ?
Imo.

 

[LittleSeaTree]

Mother charged after body of missing Kentucky boy found buried

waiting to hear WHEN Jayden died because he sure didn't die the night before he was reported missing. IMO it would take time to discover him dead, load his body into a tote, drag it into a vehicle, drive to the disposal location, dig a hole, drag the tote out of the vehicle and bury it. That didn't IMO happen in the morning, prior to the report. And I doubt it happened in the dead of night. So when exactly did this child die?

All reports, including the affidavit give no hint as to DOD. I cannot imagine LE didn't get that information from GROSS/Spicer. Which makes me think we are going to be further outraged when we learn when all this went down. JMO

So well said, and I see/like what ya did there. GROSS, indeed.

 

[LittleSeaTree]

Now I’m sad that it looks like there may also be a dog at that ‘home’. Not just the sign in the window, but a crate on the porch. Did she just surround herself with defenseless souls? Sorry

 

[seasideForest]

waiting to hear WHEN Jayden died because he sure didn't die the night before he was reported missing. IMO it would take time to discover him dead, load his body into a tote, drag it into a vehicle, drive to the disposal location, dig a hole, drag the tote out of the vehicle and bury it. That didn't IMO happen in the morning, prior to the report. And I doubt it happened in the dead of night. So when exactly did this child die?

Along with others, hoping to hear Jayden died soon after July 3rd to spare him as much pain and neglect as possible. I don't know if that happened tho.

I agree it's highly unlikely all that you list happened the morning he was supposedly discovered missing. Might have taken a bit of time to coach the other children into what happened too.

Disgusting vile 'mother'.

MOO

 

[crcap]

Glad we can finally stop trying to give the “mother” the benefit of the doubt

 

[Arkay]

<modsnip: Quoted posts removed due to no link to images>

I agree.

Maybe it’s just confirmation bias, since we know the horrific outcome for this little boy.

But I think we could tell without knowing about his murder-by-mother that he looks enormously different in these two pictures.

I do grasp that he’s younger in the happy-seeming one, but it truly looks like a devastating metamorphosis has utterly transformed him.

His smile in “Happy” looks genuine. In “Sad,” his smile looks forced and does not reach his eyes.

In “Happy” he also looks healthy. In “Sad,” he looks sickly. As @Chimera stated, he also looks thin.

I agree with @Iwatchingeye that “Happy” was when he was cared for, fed and loved, likely by Grandma. “Sad” would be, IMO, when he was sent to this strange woman who birthed him.

To be fair, some of the pain in his eyes could be because he was mourning Grandma, but I think it’s a lot more that that.

Does anyone know if “mom” visited him over the years?

JMO. I’d love to be wrong and see some genuine happy pictures from after he was shipped off to his bio mom.

 

[osu]

Nancy Grace

Mom Begs for Help to Find #Missing #JaydenSpicer, 10, Now He’s Found in Shallow Grave, Mom Suspect #1

Join Us TONIGHT on YouTube: Nancy Grace

Listen on ALL Audio Platforms: Crime Stories with Nancy Grace

Nancy Grace

Mom Begs for Help to Find #Missing #JaydenSpicer, 10, Now He’s Found in Shallow Grave, Mom Suspect #1 Join Us TONIGHT on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@nancygrace Listen on ALL Audio Platforms:...

www.facebook.com

 

[JWillow]

As soon as I saw she wanted to remain anonymous I knew this wasn't going to be good. The more I hear, the worse this gets.

What an evil human...

The fact Jayden had been in the care of his great Grandma since birth is VERY telling (this is never a decision made lightly) and absolutely indicates potential long term substance abuse issues, which does make me lean towards the same conclusion many of you have come to. I highly doubt this had anything to do with legit medications at all..

MOO

 

[HockeyMomDiva]

Oh sweet boy. You deserved so much better. Rest in Heavenly Peace.