The mom and stepfather of a 10-year-old Kentucky boy found dead last week after his mother reported him missing were indicted Monday on charges related to the boy’s death.
Felicia Gross, 33, was charged with murder, falsely reporting an incident, evidence tampering, witness tampering, and abuse of a corpse, Commonwealth’s Attorney Miranda King said. Joshua Gross, 41, was charged with complicity to commit murder, complicity to falsely report an incident, tampering with evidence, witness tampering, and abuse of a corpse.
Felicia Gross was initially charged with manslaughter last week after Jayden Spicer’s body was found in a shallow grave nearly 20 miles from the family’s home. As CrimeOnline reported, she led to the discovery after telling police she had given the boy sleeping medication and “believed” he died after suffering a medical emergency.
Gross reported Jayden missing on August 6, saying she and her husband had gone to bed the night before and the boy was missing when they got up the next morning. She ran sobbing to a neighbors to use the phone and call police, and the next day provided a handwritten letter to media asking for prayers and help finding the missing child.
“Ms. Gross further stated in the interview that she had transported Jaydens body to a wooded area on Canoe Road near the mouth of Joe Little Fork,” the arrest citation reveals. “A search warrant was prepared and executed on this property and Jayden’s remains were located buried underground in a plastic tote.”
The witness tampering charges came because the Grosses allegedly coached their other children on what to say about their brother’s disappearance and death.
“On a personal note, as a mom of two that are my life, even the idea of this event seems unfathomable, but here we are in this unimaginable place,” King said. “In Jayden’s short life, he got less than he deserved, so we are going to give him everything we have got in ours.”
The Grosses are being held on $1 million bonds each.
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[Featured image: Felicia and Joshua Gross/Kentucky River Regional Jail. Center: Jayden Spicer/Kentucky State Police]
