Duke Flores

Name: Duke Josehyah Flores.
Died: April 25, 2019 (Missing).
Age at death: 6.
Cause of death: Missing, presumed dead.
Location: Apple Valley, California, USA.

Details:
When Duke’s mother reported him missing, the six-year-old had already been missing for two weeks. Soon thereafter, she was arrested for child cruelty; a few days later, she and Duke’s aunt were charged with murder.

Police report that in her confession, Duke’s mother said that they strangled him with an electrical cord and buried his body in their backyard; but after the family dogs kept trying to dig up his body, the two women dug him up and put him in a dumpster. His body has still not been found.

If you have seen anything or know anything, contact:
Detective Narcie Sousa, 909-387-3589.
Sheriff’s dispatch, 909-387-8313.
Anonymous tips, 800-78-CRIME or wetip.com.

References:
The Charley Project: Duke Josehyah Flores
Community Mourns 6-Year-Old Boy Police Believe Was Murdered
Apple Valley: Mother, aunt arrested for murder of missing 6-year-old boy, authorities say
Apple Valley Mother, Twin Sister Booked on Suspicion of Murder as Search for Missing Boy Continues
Murder charges filed against mother of missing 6-year-old Duke Flores of Apple Valley
Detectives arrest Jakee Raquel Contreras (mother) and Jennifer Rachel Contreras (aunt) for the…
Apple Valley: Mother, aunt arrested for murder of missing 6-year-old boy Duke Flores
Homicide Detectives Search Victorville Landfill for Body of Missing Boy; Mom, Aunt Charged With Murder
Duke Flores case: Mother, aunt charged in Apple Valley boy’s murder as detectives search landfill
Mother, aunt plead not guilty in murder of missing 6-year-old Apple Valley boy Duke Flores

Joe Daniels

Name: Joe Clyde Daniels.
Died: Missing April 4, 2018.
Age at death: 5.
Cause of death: Murder (By confession; body not found).
Location: Nashville, Tennessee, USA.

Details:
Joe, often called “Baby Joe”, was an extroverted boy who loved people. When he went to church, he used to run around in his cowboy boots, which were often on the wrong feet. He knew who kept candy in their purses; Joe loved to eat, especially snacks. When the pastor yelled “Amen!” during the sermon, Joe would make noises in response. He hummed along to all the hymns, but covered his ears when the sopranos in the choir hit high notes. He liked kicking bouncy balls, playing cornhole, and playing tag. He also liked semi trucks and the Ninja Turtles.

When Joe had an accident and urinated on the floor, his father beat him to death and dumped his body. Then he reported Joe missing, saying he must have wandered away. The community searched for the little boy for three days before his father finally confessed to killing him. Joe’s body has not yet been found, but his father was convicted of first-degree murder in the perpetration of a felony, second-degree murder, aggravated child abuse, initiating a false report and tampering with evidence. His mother pleaded no contest to child neglect; she went to bed instead of trying to help her son when he was being abused.

Hundreds of apples–Joe’s favorite snack–were donated to his school, and each student was given one in memory of Joe. They are also planning to plant apple trees on the school’s front lawn.

References:
Mother of Joe Clyde Daniels accepts plea deal
Where is Baby Joe? 4 years later members of search team weigh in
Lawmaker proposes ‘Joe Clyde Daniels Act’ after autistic Tennessee boy killed by father
Tennessee man found guilty in missing son’s death
Prosecution shows videos of Joe Clyde Daniels first day of trial
‘He was a great kid’: Videos of little Joe Clyde Daniels play at father’s murder trial
‘When I Get Angry, Things Happen’: Prosecutors Detail Case Against Father Charged with Murdering His 5-Year-Old Autistic Son
Mother ‘went to bed instead of helping autistic son, 5, as boyfriend killed him’
Trial of parents who murdered autistic son, 5, delayed by Covid
Father Charged With Murder In Case Of Missing Boy With Autism: TN Investigators
Update: Father arrested on charge of homicide in death of 5-year-old Dickson County boy
TBI: Father confesses to killing 5-year-old son
TBI: father of missing boy with autism has been charged with criminal homicide
Father Of Missing 5-Year-Old Autistic Boy In Middle Tennessee Charged With His Murder; Body Still Missing
Joe Clyde Daniels: TBI to update search at news conference
Father charged in death of missing Tennessee 5-year-old
Dad ‘killed his autistic son, 5, and hid his body before reporting him missing’
Father confesses to killing 5-year-old son who had autism, authorities say
Vigil held for Dickson boy allegedly killed by his father
Four vigils planned Sunday for missing autistic boy presumed murdered by father
TBI: Father confesses to killing 5-year-old boy with autism
Father of missing 5-year-old charged with the murder of his autistic son
Father of missing autistic 5-year-old boy charged with criminal homicide
Missing boy with autism dead, father arrested for killing him
Autistic boy’s father accused of killing him in Tennessee, hunt for body ongoing
Dad reported his autistic son missing. He had just killed the boy, Tennessee cops say
Tennessee father killed his 5-year-old autistic son then hid his body, police say
Mother of missing Tennessee child arrested, charged in his death
Mother of murdered Dickson County boy arrested on child neglect charge
Scary New Details About The Missing 5-Year-Old Autistic Boy Whose Father Was Just Arrested For His Murder
Dad beat autistic son Joe Clyde Daniels to death, hid his body in remote area: affidavit
Search for missing autistic boy takes grim turn as father is arrested
Joseph Ray Daniels beat Joe Clyde to death, disposed of body in ‘remote area,’ authorities say
Joe Clyde Daniels 911 Call Released: Search For Body Of Five-Year-Old Autistic Boy Continues
Joe Clyde Daniels Update: ‘Dad’ who beat autistic son to death ‘with closed fists’ is now on suicide watch: Police
Arrest Warrant: Father beat autistic 5-year-old to death, dumped his body
A city searched for an autistic boy for days. Then his dad confessed to killing him
Father accused of killing 5-year-old boy with autism in Tennessee
Father beat son with autism to death, disposed of body in ‘remote area,’ authorities say
Joe Daniels’ death spotlights autism challenges
Tennessee father ‘beat his autistic five-year-old son to death’
Elementary school honors autistic boy presumed dead after father allegedly confesses to beating him to death
Authorities: Tenn. father beat autistic son to death, disposed of body in ‘remote area’
Court documents reveal father confessed to beating 5-year-old autistic child to death
Father charged in death of missing 5-year-old autistic son
Tennessee Dad Joseph Daniels Who Reported Autistic Son Missing Had Just Killed Him: Cops
The death of 5-year-old Joe Clyde Daniels brings focus to understanding autism
Joe Clyde Daniels mom was in the home when boy’s father beat him to death, took ‘active steps’ to cover up the crime: Court Docs
Joe Clyde Daniels’ mother admits she was present when the boy was killed, court documents state
Joe Clyde’s mom present while dad beat him to death, tried to cover up murder: affidavit
Joe Clyde’s mom, dad had no criminal history before his murder; brothers in DCS custody
Joe Daniels, Tennessee Man Punched Autistic 5-Year-Old Son To Death
Father admits to beating 5-year-old son with autism to death: court documents
Mom was present when dad beat 5-year-old son to death, police say
Mom of autistic boy is arrested after husband was charged with murder
Mother, father both now behind bars in autistic boy’s death
Photos show parents of murdered Joe Clyde Daniels leaving Dickson Co. court
Tennessee Father Confessed to Beating to Death his 5-Year-Old Autistic Son Apr 11, 2018
Mother’s social media posts scrutinized following death of Joe Clyde
Joe Clyde Daniels, 5, remembered as a ‘sweet, gentle spirit’
Dickson neighbors demand answers from murdered 5-year-old boy’s parents
Parents arrested for murder of ‘Baby Joe’ arraigned in Dickson County
Tennessee mother saw husband kill her 5-year-old son who had autism, authorities say
Officers release list of roads in search for murdered 5-year-old Dickson boy
Joe Clyde Daniels: Police review surveillance footage in hopes of locating autistic boy reportedly beaten to death and hidden
Joe Clyde Daniels: Dad who reportedly killed autistic son gave police several locations to find boy’s body but nothing ‘panned out’
Massive search planned for Dickson boy admittedly murdered by father
Tennessee father tells police he murdered his autistic son because boy urinated on floor
Joe Clyde’s dad beat him to death for urinating on the floor, source says
Joe Clyde’s dad beat him to death for urinating on the floor, source says
Joe Clyde Daniels: Search team sets out to find missing autistic boy whose father admitted to beating boy to death and hiding body
Search for body of little Joe continues as parents head to court
Tennessee man accused of killing autistic son moved to state facility for safety
Father accused of killing son with autism to undergo mental evaluation
Tennessee Sheriff faced with murder of child, deputy remains vigilant
Joe Clyde Daniels’ father fit for trial in son’s death, attorney says
Joe Clyde: Joseph, Krystal Daniels trial date pushed back to 2020

Hevin Jenkins

Name: Hevin Dakota James Lee Jenkins.
Died: December 15, 2005.
Age at death: 2.
Cause of death: Homicide; body not found.
Location: Hurricane, West Virginia, USA.

Details:
Hevin was staying with his aunt when he “disappeared”: She reported that she had had the boy in her car when it was stolen with him inside it. But when police, who didn’t believe her, asked her for the real story, she admitted that Hevin had had a seizure and died, and she had put him in a garbage bag and thrown him into the Ohio river.

Even this was a lie. When questioned, her boyfriend told police that Hevin’s death hadn’t been natural. His aunt had drowned him because the boy soiled himself.

Hevin’s body has never been found, but he is missing and presumed dead. His aunt was convicted of second-degree murder and her boyfriend of being an accessory after the fact.

References:
Hevin Dakota James Lee Jenkins
Woman charged in her autistic nephew’s death

Shane Graham

Name: Shane “Moo” Graham.
Died: July 2000.
Age at death: About 10.
Cause of death: Unknown. Missing; presumed dead.
Location: Florida, USA.

Details:
When Shane’s 18-year-old sister was discovered abandoned in a parking lot, she told police that she and her ten siblings, including Shane, had all been adopted, then neglected and abused, by a mother who just wanted them for the money she could get for caring for them. All eleven children had special needs.

Police found Shane’s siblings–eight still with their mother and one, who had been abandoned earlier, living on his own. All were suffering from lack of education, social isolation, and abuse. They were malnourished, living in constant fear, and had scars from being restrained with cable ties. They had never been to school or seen a doctor. And they told police that, some time in 1999 or 2000, Shane had been very sick, and then had died.

Adoption records showed that Shane had Down syndrome, autism, and sickle-cell anemia. He was called “Moo” because that was the only sound he could make. The last time anyone saw Shane, his adoptive mother had taken him from a babysitter’s apartment in July of 2000, and returned shortly thereafter without him. His siblings remember that she had wrapped him in a blanket or put him into a plastic tub and said she was taking him to the hospital or to a doctor. Then she left, and they never saw Shane again.

A tip came in, vague but from a reliable source, that Shane’s mother might have buried him in the yard nearly ten years ago. Shane’s mother had moved her captives regularly to avoid investigation, so police tried to find Shane’s body by using radar and cadaver dogs to search several backyards. They never found a trace of Shane, who is still missing and presumed dead.

Shane’s mother was charged with fraud and abuse and was sentenced to twenty years in prison. She refuses to tell anyone what happened to Shane.

Shane’s siblings are all adults now. Some are on their own; others are living in group homes. They are still recovering from their hellish childhoods.

References:
Shane Graham and 10 Siblings
Eight in Adoption Abuse Case Agree to $17.5 Million Settlement With Foster Agencies
Children adopted by Judith Leekin

The Missing

This entry is unusual in that the people listed here are not dead, but missing. They are all autistic or were reported to be autistic, and all are missing under circumstances that implies that someone meant them harm.

Unlike the memorials proper, these people have a chance–however slim–of still being found alive. Remember their names, remember their faces, and we may one day have cause to either celebrate their survival or mourn their loss. Until then, these cases remain unsolved.

—–

Name: Yu Man-Hon
Date Missing: August 8, 2000
Age at Disappearance: 15
Last Known Location: Yau Ma Tei MTR station, Hong Kong
Circumstances: Yu Man-Hon became separated from his mother and crossed the border into mainland China, where authorities tried to return him to Hong Kong but were turned away at the border. There have been reports that Yu Man-Hon was beaten to death at a shelter, but his mother refuses to have him declared dead.

References:
I won’t have my missing boy declared dead
Missing in China

Name: Jason Sims, Jr.
Date Missing: January 1, 2015
Age at Disappearance: 15
Last Known Location: Fairfield, Alabama, USA
Circumstances: Amidst a child neglect investigation, Jason’s parents were jailed for neglecting Jason’s three siblings. When they were arrested, Jason was reported as having been missing for more than three weeks. Ominously, he had never attended school and had no medical records. The photo at right is an age-progressed version of the only available picture of Jason, which was taken when he was a small child.
Description: African American, approximately 5’6” and 125 pounds, with black hair and black eyes.

Fairfield police release age-progressed image of missing teen
Police search missing autistic teen Jason Sims’ home, release age-enhanced photo

Where is missing autistic teen Jason Sims Jr.? Police fear worst, hope for best
Have You Seen This Child: Jason Sims Jr.