Jonathan Kinman, Burleson special needs son buried in Texas parents back yard. Arrested was his mother, December Marie Mitchell, and step-father, Jonathan James Mitchell as an autopsy is set to determine the cause of death as parents initially claimed victim dying in hospital…
A Texas mother and stepfather were arrested after their special needs son was found buried in a shallow grave in the backyard of their home in Burleson last week. The cause of death has yet to be determined.
Officers with the Burleson Police Department responded to a welfare check on White Oak Lane on Oct. 14 for special needs son, Jonathan Kinman. While conducting the welfare check, police received information indicating that the 26-year old was dead and buried in the backyard of the home, cops stated in a release.
Welfare request for special needs son made
Burleson police and the Texas Rangers returned to the home the following day where they uncovered Jonathan’s body, wrapped in a camouflage blanket and buried in a shallow grave near a shed at the family’s property, WFAA reported.
Kinman had Russell-Silver Syndrome, a rare genetic disorder, characterized by intrauterine growth restriction and lived at the home with his mother, December Marie Mitchell, and stepfather, Jonathan James Mitchell, police said.
Investigators said Kinman’s mother and stepfather posted online about his death before police discovered his body. That post prompted someone known to the family to contact police, according to the arrest affidavit.
‘We received an inquiry from a friend,’ said Deputy Chief Doug Sandifer with the Burleson Police Department.
When police questioned that friend, she told investigators he had died in a hospital, but police found no record of that and determined the claim was false. A family friend told investigators that the couple confessed that Jonathan had recently died and that he had been buried behind the home.
According to the affidavit, Jonathan’s stepfather called police before the search, saying he had just learned that his wife had buried Jonathan in the backyard.
Neighbors said they had never seen Kinman come or go from that house in the two years they’ve lived there according to 9News.
‘Never saw him go in the house or out of the house. Never ever saw the child,’ said neighbor Betty Noyola according to the outlet.
How did Burleson special needs son come to die?
According to the affidavit, as investigators and cadaver dogs searched the home, Kinman’s mother sat in the backseat of a patrol car and was captured on the police backseat camera telling her husband, ‘the dog was going to find him on me… it was all me… that dog was going to find him.’
Both parents were arrested and charged with tampering/fabricating physical evidence with the intent to impair a human corpse, officials said. They were taken to the Johnson County jail, each held on $250,000 bond.
An autopsy has been ordered, and results are pending. The case remains under investigation.
It remains unclear if the mother and step-father will now face additional charges.
In the aftermath of Jonathan’s death, his uncle, Jamie Kinman, released a statement on behalf of Jonathan’s biological father’s family saying:
‘We were horrified to hear the news about our precious Jonathan. This is a living nightmare for the Kinman family. Please know that we are in full cooperation with law enforcement, and we will fight for every last ounce of truth and justice to come to light for the sake of our sweet boy.’
