Police authorities believe they have located the remains of Darnell Taylor, a 5-year-old boy whose disappearance led to a statewide Amber Alert in Ohio earlier this week.
The body was found in a sewage drain in Franklin County, near his hometown of Columbus.
The Amber Alert was issued on Wednesday following concerning statements made by Taylor’s foster mother, Pammy Maye, to her husband, which led him to fear for the boy’s safety. Maye was identified as a suspect, and law enforcement urged the public to provide any information on her whereabouts.
On Thursday night, a 911 call reported a suspicious woman wandering around a commercial building. Brooklyn, Ohio, police responded, apprehended the woman identified as Maye, and took her into custody, as confirmed by Columbus Police Chief Elaine Bryant. Maye was later taken to a Cleveland hospital for medical evaluation, during which she disclosed Taylor’s whereabouts to officers, according to Bryant.
Maye has been charged with kidnapping and endangerment, with authorities working to add murder charges, as stated by police. She is set to be transferred back to Franklin County.
The biological family has been notified of the tragic discovery. According to police, the parents had been fostering Taylor since May 2023.
“This is not the outcome that we wanted, but we’re going to make sure that we do everything that we can to bring justice for Darnell,” Bryant emphasized.
Maye was then moved to a hospital in Cleveland for medical care, where she informed authorities about the whereabouts of Taylor’s body, as per Bryant.
She is now facing charges of abduction and putting someone in danger, with authorities aiming to add charges of murder, according to Bryant. She is scheduled to be returned to Franklin County.
The biological family has been notified of the discovery of the deceased boy. Police state that the parents had been caring for the child as foster parents since May 2023.
Bryant stated, “Though this is not the outcome we hoped for, we are committed to ensuring that we pursue justice for Darnell.”
