Found Deceased MO - Darnell Gray, 4, Jefferson City, 24 Oct 2018 *Arrest*

[Stunned]

He is NOT in a fort.

 

[Gardener1850]

I’m sorry, a child is missing and you are taken out of the home in handcuffs. Children taking into protective custody. Just another manic day....Nope, not buying into any of this.

They find other crimes all the time when they go to investigate a missing child. Because criminals think they can lie to the police. Time will tell if the person arrested is also a suspect here. All it tells us now is that there was something illegal going on in the home. Police may look for reasons to arrest a POI in a missing child case (until they can find enough evidence for a related charge) but they also don't look the other way if they discover something unrelated like outstanding warrants. And IMO anything illegal going on in the home is potentially related as it could show what kind of environment Darnell was living in. JMO.

I might have missed it in reading through the thread quickly but is Darnell in School? Did he go to school the day before he was reported missing?

 

[Stunned]

Thank you for your post. My breathing slowed and BP dropped. I have not seen that he is in a preschool or PreK. Would love their input on this little soul and his family.

 

[Stunned]

"The step-mom" or guardian whose name was listed in an article a ways back as Quatavia Laqwoun , I do not believe that is her legal name. I cannot find one single piece of anything with that last name for anyone in the US. I did come across 2 other last names but unable to verify them. This one is going to be a strange one and confusing one I am afraid.

Surprise! Nope

 

[MsFacetious]

Well, I hope you are right. Just not feeling it!

He's a toddler/preschooler. He's not equipped to pack up and live in a fort. But I'd love for him to be the first one to do it!

 

[TCIntriguedIN30]

Hi Shin Masamura- can you please provide a link for the source of the picture? TIA.

im obviously not the OP but ...
Darnell Gray family releases additional photos as the search continues

 

[Otterly]

Two days...I don't think a four year old would be able to hide out this long or have not been found at this point.

 

[MsFacetious]

The only hope for a good ending here is if by some small chance some relative came and got Darnell in the middle of the night and is now laughing like crazy at the chaos they created. They would deserve to be arrested if they took him but at least this little boy would still be alive. Praying so hard for an unprecedented outcome here.

sbm

This exact scenario actually occurred last week. There was a thread for the missing boy but when he was found it was deleted, so I can't update it. The Good Samaritan was not charged, but the mother was. She had taken the children repeatedly in the past, but apparently mom didn't check with her before calling the cops because she only took one kid this time.


Police: Child taken from St. George home by would-be 'Good Samaritan'

In a press conference Monday, St. George police revealed new information about Stratton's abduction. They announced Stratton had reportedly been taken from his home by a would-be "Good Samaritan," and acquaintance of Stratton's mother, who judged the conditions of the home to be "deplorable."


Mother of missing St. George 3-year-old arrested with drug charges, child neglect

Before the search warrant, Stratton was brought into the police department by a woman who said she was a family friend. The woman told police she went to the house and observed the house was "thrashed" with moldy clothes and drug paraphernalia all within the reach of the children. The woman also stated that she would take the children in the past whenever she saw drugs around them.

The woman told police she didn't take the six-year-old this time because he was asleep and Stratton was awake, opened the door when she arrived and thought he may leave the house. The woman also told police there were needles in a place that was accessible to the children.

 

[Gardener1850]

sbm

This exact scenario actually occurred last week. There was a thread for the missing boy but when he was found it was deleted, so I can't update it. The Good Samaritan was not charged, but the mother was. She had taken the children repeatedly in the past, but apparently mom didn't check with her before calling the cops because she only took one kid this time.


Police: Child taken from St. George home by would-be 'Good Samaritan'

In a press conference Monday, St. George police revealed new information about Stratton's abduction. They announced Stratton had reportedly been taken from his home by a would-be "Good Samaritan," and acquaintance of Stratton's mother, who judged the conditions of the home to be "deplorable."


Mother of missing St. George 3-year-old arrested with drug charges, child neglect

Before the search warrant, Stratton was brought into the police department by a woman who said she was a family friend. The woman told police she went to the house and observed the house was "thrashed" with moldy clothes and drug paraphernalia all within the reach of the children. The woman also stated that she would take the children in the past whenever she saw drugs around them.

The woman told police she didn't take the six-year-old this time because he was asleep and Stratton was awake, opened the door when she arrived and thought he may leave the house. The woman also told police there were needles in a place that was accessible to the children.

Thank you. So it does happen. Hoping a similar good Samaritan took him is probably the best we can hope at this point, but seems like the person would have contacted the police by now to explain why they had him.

 

[HayLouise]

Video update of Darnell Gray case. @KOMUnews

Jared Austin on Twitter

*video at link

 

[MsFacetious]

Thank you. So it does happen. Hoping a similar good Samaritan took him is probably the best we can hope at this point, but seems like the person would have contacted the police by now to explain why they had him.

Yes, the little boy in that case was not missing nearly as long. Though there was similar confusion with his age. I really wish someone would confirm how old Darnell is.

 

[JC40]

The Kansas City Star reported that boy’s coat, backpack, two juice boxes, and some cookies were also missing from the home.

They are very specific. Unless they were the last ones and the "guardian" was going to replace them, would you notice "some" cookies and and 2 juices boxes missing.?

He was last seen wearing a black and white sleeper but could be wearing a black fur-lined coat, red Spider-Man Velcro shoes, Mickey Mouse hat and gloves, and a Black Panther backpack.

"but could be wearing a black fur-lined coat,"

Considering the specificity regarding the "some" cookies etc, why the doubt about the coat, isn't it more likely to notice a missing "black fur-lined coat" than "some" cookies missing?

ETA

Does the coat hold the answers to why he has gone "missing"

 

[flute4peace]

My guess is the juice boxes & cookies had been packed in the backpack ahead of time, maybe for daycare or preschool the next day.

I wish we knew more on where the parents were & who he was with/who reported him missing.

 

[bradfordsleuth]

I really try to stay away from cases with young children ever since Noah Chamberlin and Elijah Marsh, but this little guy has stolen my breath with his smile.

I have a 6-year old son who has been packing his own snack bag for at least two years. He does have an older sister (9) who has led by example.
Some children are very independent at that age and able to dress, pack, etc. for themselves, especially if they are excited to go off on an adventure.

In this case, I don't know what to think.
Aren't there ANY cameras nearby that captured what went on outside the front door that night?
I hope he is warm and safe and being cared for by someone with good intentions, but rarely on WS are my hopes realized.

 

[wendybtn]

Yes, the little boy in that case was not missing nearly as long. Though there was similar confusion with his age. I really wish someone would confirm how old Darnell is.

He is three, but his birthday is in a couple of weeks according to one of the early posts, announcing he was missing. Unless that info was wrong.

 

[dyannaON]

Is stepmom still with dad? Who has custody? Biomom? Is that who was out of town? I’m confused. But it doesn’t take me much lately to be confused!
And was he with stepmom when he went missing? If so where was dad? I’m assuming they would still be together? If we are calling her step mom

 

[Gardener1850]

Is stepmom still with dad? Who has custody? Biomom? Is that who was out of town? I’m confused. But it doesn’t take me much lately to be confused!
And was he with stepmom when he went missing? If so where was dad? I’m assuming they would still be together? If we are calling her step mom

I read the thread when I was tired so someone will correct me if I'm wrong-- but what I got was that Stepmom was at home and Dad was at work.

I'm less clear on the mom details:
Mom is either traveling? Or she lives out of town? I'm not clear on that. Have they definitely located mom and verified he isn't with her? Someone remind me on this.

 

[margarita25]

I read the thread when I was tired so someone will correct me if I'm wrong-- but what I got was that Stepmom was at home and Dad was at work.

I'm less clear on the mom details:
Mom is either traveling? Or she lives out of town? I'm not clear on that. Have they definitely located mom and verified he isn't with her? Someone remind me on this.

(Don’t ask me, I’m all confused, hoping for some clearer information today. Not seeing anything yet.)

 

[Gardener1850]

(Don’t ask me I’m all confused.)

At least I'm not alone

Where is Darnell?

 

[rainynights]

NCMEC on Twitter

#MISSING ALERT Update! Darnell Gray was last seen at home on 10/25/2018 in Jefferson City, #Missouri. He may be carrying a Black Panther backpack. Darnell is missing his two front teeth. https://www.missingkids.org/poster/NCMC/1341902/1/screen …