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8 months ago
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A missing four-year-old Washington State boy has been found dead and his mother has been charged in the gruesome murder where she allegedly dumped his lifeless body on the side of the road.
Ariel Garcia's body was found just before 6pm on Thursday along stretch of road on Interstate 5, less than 24 hours after a relative reported him missing under suspicious circumstances.
Washington State Patrol issued an endangered missing person alert, and launched a massive search for little Ariel that drew nearly 100 officers, agents and investigators from multiple jurisdictions, including the FBI.
The following day, the boy's mother, Jessica Garcia, was arrested in Vancouver by Everett police.
Ariel Garcia body was found just before 6pm on Thursday along stretch of road on Interstate 5 in Pierce County by detectives from the Everett Police Department, less than 24 hours after a relative reported him missing under suspicious circumstances
When confronted by police, Garcia told them that her son had fallen off his bed and hit his head, and that she later dropped off at someone's apartment in Seattle
When officers from the Clark County Sheriff's Office arrived at the scene they said that Garcia had bloodstains on her shoes and her shirt
The apartment where Ariel Garcia lived with his mother Jessica Garcia
Police said Garcia had been a person of interest early in the investigation, and they had been keeping tabs on her whereabouts.
Garcia was charged with murder in the first and second degree, and assaults of a child in the first degree, according to a news release by the Everett Police Department.
She is currently being held at the Snohomish County Jail.
On March 25, two days before Ariel went missing, the boy's grandmother had granted for emergency minor guardianship of her grandson, Fox 13 reported.
She stated that her daughter has issues with drugs and alcohol that had gotten worse over the last few months, and described her as 'violent and unpredictable, as per court documents, the news outlet reported.
The grandmother reportedly told the court that her daughter should have limited or no visitation, as she cited physical child abuse.
After the court filing, Ariel mysteriously disappeared with a family member.
The child's grandmother, who was not named, feared for her own safety, according to a story in the Everett Herald.
The grandmother said that if her daughter knew of the custody case, she 'may harm me or try to run away with Ariel and harm him in the process.'
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 statewide alert was distributed on social media, and to people's phones.
The child's body was found just minutes before the alert went out, police said.
An autopsy is being performed by the Snohomish County Medical Examiner who 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 friend she told the news outlet she saw a 'substantial' amount of blood on the floor, but Ariel and his mother were nowhere to be found, Fox News reported.
When officers from the Clark County Sheriff's Office arrived at the scene they said that Garcia had bloodstains on her shoes and her shirt.
She told investigators that her son had fallen off his bed and hit his head.
She reportedly said she tried taking him to a hospital in Everett, but the wait was too long, the Clark County newspaper reported, citing a police report, as per the Everett Herald.
Police placed her in custody for making false and misleading statements within a few hours of Ariel being reported missing.
On the same day, her vehicle, a four-door 2013 blue Nissan Sentra was impounded by CCSO.
On March 25, two days before Ariel went missing, the boy's grandmother had granted for emergency minor guardianship of her grandson
An autopsy is being performed by the Snohomish County Medical Examiner, who will determine the cause and manner of death.
The Mayor of Everett Cassie Franklin issued a statement on the tragic boy's passing, and commended the Everett PD and the other law enforcement partners who have been working on the case.
'I am completely heartbroken for the family and friends of Ariel Garcia and they will remain in my thoughts as they grieve this unbelievably tragic loss,' he said.
Everett Chief of Police John DeRousse spoke on behalf of his team.
'On behalf of the Everett Police Department, I want to share our condolences with the loved ones of young Ariel Garcia. This is not the outcome we had hoped for,'
'I want to thank all our partners that jumped into action to support this search effort. Our investigation will continue and we will do everything we can to ensure there is justice 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 Department TIP LINE at (425) 257-8450 or tips@everettwa.gov.
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