A 25-year-old woman from Lake Charles, Louisiana, identified as Aaliyah Jack, was recently taken into custody in Mississippi. Her arrest followed the grim discovery of her 4-year-old son’s body and her 1-year-old son found crawling in a ditch, both incidents occurring across state lines.
The tragic series of events began to unfold when deputies from the Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office were alerted to a body floating in the water near the Vinton Welcome Center, close to the Texas-Louisiana border. The body was identified as a 4-year-old boy, who showed no visible signs of trauma. Despite reaching out to local and Texas agencies, the authorities found no missing child reports that matched the description of the deceased boy.
However, the situation took a turn when a family member contacted investigators, expressing concerns that the deceased child might be a relative. This led to the identification of the boy, who was last seen with his mother and brother on the preceding Saturday.
The 1-year-old brother was found on Tuesday morning by a passerby on Interstate 10, crawling near mile marker 10. The passerby promptly alerted the authorities. Sheriff Gary Guillory praised the passerby’s quick response, labeling the 1-year-old’s survival as miraculous. Despite spending two days exposed to the elements on the side of the highway, the infant was found in stable condition, suffering only from a few insect bites.
Paramedics transported the 1-year-old to a local hospital. He was found to be sitting up and drinking water in the ambulance. The child is currently under the care of the Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services.
Meanwhile, Jack was apprehended at a train station in Mississippi, hours after her older son’s body was discovered. She was taken into custody separately from her youngest child by the Meridian Police Department in Mississippi. The investigation into the circumstances surrounding the events is ongoing, and additional charges may be filed.
The Calcasieu Parish Coroner’s Office is awaiting the completion of the autopsy report for the deceased 4-year-old to shed more light on the cause of his death.