Tesla Tucker : “3 Charged in Ohio County Infant Disappearance Case: Court Appearance”

OHIO COUNTY, Ky. – In a significant development, three individuals linked to the unsettling disappearance of an 8-month-old from Ohio County made a court appearance on Monday morning.

The infant’s parents, Tesla Tucker and Cage Rudd, along with Ricky Smith, the child’s grandfather, stood before a judge in Daviess County today as documented in court records.

Kentucky State Police Post 14 has identified the missing child as 8-month-old Miya Rudd, who remains at the heart of a missing child investigation. According to a uniform citation, authorities state that the infant has not been sighted since late April.

Rudd and Tucker were apprehended last Wednesday at a Super 8 motel in Owensboro, Kentucky on various charges, including abandonment of a minor and possession of fentanyl, as outlined in court documents. During preliminary interviews on that day, both parents reportedly claimed ignorance regarding the child’s whereabouts.

Law enforcement initiated the investigation following a welfare check and subsequent search warrant.

Furthermore, Kentucky State Police disclosed two additional arrests in Ohio County related to distinct incidents. These include the infant’s grandmother, identified as Billie J. (Rudd) Smith, on a second-degree domestic violence warrant, and Timothy L. Roach on charges of second-degree possession of a controlled substance and first-degree prescription controlled substance not in a proper container.

Authorities detained the grandmother and Roach during the search for Miya Rudd.

The investigation is currently ongoing, with News 40 committed to providing updated information as it becomes available. Kentucky State Police urges anyone with information regarding the missing child to get in touch with the post at 270.826.3312.