An Ohio woman reported her 8-year-old son, Martonio, as missing Friday before police said they found the young boy dead inside his mother’s attic, ABC 6 reported.
Columbus Police Department (CPD) officers took two women into custody, including the victim’s mother, Lashanda Wilder, a CPD statement Saturday read, ABC 6 reported. The child was reportedly found in a trash bag in her attic around 6 p.m., according to court documents.
Wilder reported Martonio missing to police via a phone call Friday around 12 p.m., Columbus Police Chief Elaine Bryant said Friday night, the outlet reported. The mother reportedly told authorities her son hat not been seen after he laid down for bed Thursday.
Officers suspected “foul play” after arriving at Wilder’s home and assessing the situation, the CPD statement revealed, according to the outlet. Martonio’s cause of death was stated as “neck compression,” the documents reportedly read.
An AMBER alert was issued for Wilder and her other two children, Mikhael Simon, 9, and King Wilder, 3, several hours after Martonio’s body was discovered, the outlet reported. They were reportedly located inside a relative’s home approximately 20 minutes later.
Wilder has been charged with murder and obstruction of justice, the outlet reported. The other suspect, Johnna Lowe, was also reportedly charged with obstruction of justice. Lowe is believed to be the 32-year-old mother’s partner. (RELATED: Mother Allegedly Drove Over Son After Forcing Him To Walk Home From School: Report)
Wilder and Lowe were reportedly not cooperative when police were attempting to search for the boy, according to law enforcement. The mother opposed letting K9 officers in to search the house, a police report added, according to the outlet.
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Wilder’s brother described his sister to ABC 6 as “evil” and said her sons were in good moods whenever she was not around, the outlet reported. A neighbor, Raymond Bircher, described the child’s alleged murder as “sickening” to the outlet.
“He should be right here playing,” Bircher reportedly said. “But instead he’s up in heaven.”
