– family members of missing Kentucky 8-month-old arrested as police search woods for baby
– relatives of missing Kentucky 8-month-old taken into custody as authorities comb woods for baby.
Accident – Death – Obituary News : Kentucky State Police deployed cadaver dogs on Tuesday to comb through a wooded area near the residence of missing 8-month-old Miya Tucker, but as darkness descended, no significant findings were reported.
“We have no evidence to suggest that she is deceased,” stated Kentucky State Police Trooper Corey King in an interview with NBC affiliate WFIE from nearby Evansville, Indiana. “However, we also have no evidence indicating that she is alive.”
The individuals in custody in connection with Miya’s disappearance include her parents, Tesla Tucker, 29, and Cage Rudd, 30, along with her grandparents Billie J. Smith, 49, and Ricky J. Smith, 56. Another individual identified as Timothy L. Roach has also been arrested. While the Smith family hails from the Reynolds Station area, Roach is from Owensboro.
Legal representation for the suspects remains unclear at this time, with the public defender’s office in the area yet to respond to queries. Some of the accused appeared in court on Monday, though the nature of the proceedings remains undisclosed. Further court appearances are scheduled for Wednesday.
The arrests of Miya’s parents and grandfather on charges of child abandonment and fentanyl-related offences were announced by state police on Thursday. Trooper King revealed that the parents were apprehended at a Motel 6 in Kentucky, where illicit substances including fentanyl pills and methamphetamine were allegedly in plain sight. Notably, Miya was not present at the scene.
Miya’s grandmother was also taken into custody after authorities discovered an active domestic violence warrant against her. During the search at her residence, Roach was observed discarding unprescribed drugs beneath his vehicle, resulting in his arrest for suspected possession of a controlled substance.
The exact relationship between Roach and the family remains uncertain. According to Trooper King, a family member disclosed that Miya had not been seen since late April. Regrettably, those closest to the infant have provided minimal information to aid in the search efforts.
When Miya was born in October, her umbilical cord tested positive for methamphetamine. Trooper King disclosed that Miya has three older siblings who were removed from the household by state authorities due to alleged substance abuse issues. The state Cabinet for Health and Family Services had planned to remove Miya from the home as well, despite claims from her parents suggesting otherwise.
Despite the challenging circumstances, investigators remain hopeful of locating Miya alive. However, Trooper King cautioned that with each passing day, the prospects of a positive outcome diminish. The search for the missing infant continues in the Reynolds Station area, approximately 90 miles southwest of Louisville..
1. Parents grandparents missing Kentucky month old arrested police search woods baby
2. Parents grandparents missing Kentucky month old arrested police search woods infant.
