According to the Desloge Police Department, two individuals are in custody related to the remains of a child found Wednesday in a rural, wooded area of the Stookey Township in Illinois.
32-year-old Ronnell Marquese Jones and 35-year-old Kirstie Dora, both of St. Louis, are being held without bond and facing kidnapping and harassment charges.
According to charging documents, in June a mother contacted law enforcement saying she has not seen her child since April of 2024. The probable cause statement says she last saw her child in Jones's vehicle adding the child was missing teeth. Jones then fled with the child and did not allow the mother to see him.
The probable cause statement says while Jones interviewed about the child he made a range of claims about his whereabouts. He alleged the child was in the custody of the Children's Division before later claiming he dropped off the child at an Amish community in Mississippi and would visit him there. Jones did not provide investigators with any information that would allow law enforcement to locate the child in Mississippi.
investigators determined through witnesses the minor child was deceased.
A search warrant related to this case was conducted in Stookey Township, Illinois where the remains were found. Although the St. Clair County Coroner's office has yet to identify the remains, the Deslgoe Police Department says they believe this is the child who was kidnapped.
The remains were located after a multi day search conducted by numerous law enforcement departments in both Missouri and Illinois according to the St. Louis City Police Department. The provided list of departments involved includes:
- Desloge Police Department
- Missouri State Technical Assistance Team (STAT)
- Illinois State Police - Crime Scene
- FBI St. Louis, St. Clair County States Attorney
- St. Louis Circuit Attorney’s Office
- U.S. Attorney’s Office
- Missouri Children’s Division
- St. Clair County Coroner’s Office
- St. Clair County Sheriff’s Department
- St. Louis County Medical Examiner's Office
- Spring Hill Fire Department
- St. Clair County Special Emergency Service
- S.A.R. K9, Stookey Township
- Stookey Township Road Commission
The investigation remains ongoing. Anyone with information is asked to contact one of the departments involved.
The remains are believed to be related to a 2024 parental kidnapping.
The remains are believed to be related to a 2024 parental kidnapping.
