SCIOTO COUNTY, Ohio — A missing four-month-old baby boy has been found dead at the bottom of a 30-feet-deep well in Southern Ohio. The boy's parents were arrested earlier this week on unrelated charges.
The boy, Dylan Groves, was found in Otway, Ohio. His body was recovered, and an autopsy is pending.
Authorities arrested the child’s parents Monday while executing a search warrant of their property.
The boy’s mother, Jessica D. Groves, 39, was charged with abduction, kidnapping, interference of custody and contempt of court. The boy’s father, Daniel A. Groves, 41, was charged with abduction, kidnapping, interference with custody and violating probation. He was also charged with theft and receiving stolen property, according to the Scioto County Sheriff’s Office.
The mother is currently being held in lieu of a $100,000 bond, while the father is being held without bond, authorities said. The couple have not been officially charged with the child’s death.
Scioto County Children’s Services was awarded custody of the boy after he was born with drugs in his system. He was later placed back into the custody of the father after he agreed to a family unification plan with children services, authorities said.
Initially, the father complied with all of the custody requirements but he then missed several court appearances and doctors' appointments, police said.
In early May, representatives from children services reached out to police about not being able to contact the father, authorities said. On May 20, sheriff's deputies attempted to locate the parents. Police found the mother and father, but they evaded police by driving off on a 4-wheeler.
On June 10, deputies obtained a search warrant for the couple’s property. Jessica Groves was apprehended, and Daniel Groves was arrested after a 6-hour-long standoff.
While on scene, police seized multiple stolen items, including two 4-wheelers, a riding lawn mower, a camper and two trailers totaling more than $40,000.
Police continued their search for the boy, eventually finding him in the bottom of a well. His body was taken to the Montgomery County Coroner's Office for examination.
His cause of of death has not been released.
The case has been forwarded to the prosecutor’s office who will later present it to a grand jury.
