The remains of a 5-year-old boy found inside a suitcase dumped in the woods in Indiana were identified on Wednesday. Officials announced that they have made an arrest in the case and that the boy's mother is wanted on a murder warrant.
Felony arrest warrants were issued for Dawn Elaine Coleman and Dejaune Ludie Anderson in relation to the death of Cairo Ammar Jordan, a press release from the Indiana State Police said.
According to the release, Anderson, 37, of Atlanta, is the boy's mother and is still at large. However, Coleman, 40, of Louisiana, was taken into custody last week in San Francisco and is awaiting extradition to Indiana.
The two are facing charges of neglect of a dependent resulting in death and obstruction of justice, and Anderson is also facing a murder charge.
During a press conference on Wednesday, Sgt. Carey Huls said Cairo would have turned 6 years old on Monday while pleading for the public's help locating Anderson, WLWT reported.
"We desperately want the public's help in finding her and bringing her to justice," Huls said. "This whole case is about justice for Cairo."
Authorities are looking high and low for Anderson, including traveling to Los Angeles to search for her. They have so far been unsuccessful.
Cairo's body was found in a hard-shell Las Vegas-themed suitcase in Washington County, Indiana, last April by a person looking for mushrooms. The mushroom hunter allegedly opened the suitcase to see what was inside and found a pillow and a black trash bag with Cairo's body inside.
According to an affidavit obtained by NBC News, the luggage was not hidden in the woods but could easily be seen from the road.
No traumatic injuries were discovered through an autopsy report, as it was determined the child died from a stomach virus-induced electrolyte imbalance. Evidence retrieved found that the boy was put in the luggage after he died.
The investigation has been ongoing for months as authorities worked tirelessly to identify the boy and then name suspects. Finally, in recent weeks, they were able to pull fingerprints on the trash bag that matched Anderson and Coleman before identifying who the child was, according to an affidavit.
"Physical evidence led to suspects, and as the investigation continues, it all kind of snowballs and expands," Huls told reporters.
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