On Wednesday Indiana State Police revealed that they had identified the body of the 5-year-old child who had been found stuffed inside a Las Vegas themed suitcase and dumped on the side of a road in southern Indiana back in April.
The identification of the boy, Cairo Ammar Jordan of Atlanta, Georgia, put an end to a months’ long mystery.
An arrest warrant has been issued for the boy’s mother.
The boy’s family has since spoken out.
Cairo’s paternal grandparents and great uncle said they only learned about the boy’s fate one day before officials made the announcement.
“It hasn’t even been a full 24 hours and yet, it still hasn’t really sunken in,” Andrew Mayo, Cairo’s great uncle, told Fox59.
A suitcase containing the boy’s remains was found by a mushroom hunter on April 16.
An autopsy report found that he died from an “electrolyte imbalance” most likely from a “viral gastroenteritis.” There was no significant trauma, and no “anatomical cause of death.”
While officials continued their investigation, community members held vigils and a memorial service for the boy.
Cairo’s family expressed their gratitude towards the community for caring him.
“To know that it’s been six months, to read these articles, to see the people come through in a different state that didn’t know him from a can of paint, it shows what humanity really is,” Mayo said.
“We definitely want to thank the people in Indiana who did give him a proper burial. That was so nice of them and we appreciate that,” Kimberly Jordan, Cairo’s paternal grandmother, said.
According to Indiana State Police, Cairo, who would have turned six in October, was never reported missing nor was he in a national database. It wasn’t until investigators discovered two sets of fingerprints on trash bags inside the suitcase that they were led to the boy’s mother and another woman.
At this point it is unclear the relationship the other woman had with Cairo’s mother or Cairo.
Family members never reported Cairo missing because as far as they knew his mother, Dejaune Ludie Anderson, 37, had custody of the boy. They would question Anderson’s mother about her daughter’s whereabouts and whether it was a lie or not, Anderson’s mother often said she didn’t know.
“The next thing I know, she disappeared. I did not think that it was uncommon at the time because she’s always moving around. She’s never in one spot, so she didn’t have an address to where we could actually go to besides her mother’s house,” Jordan said.
Vincent Jordan, Cairo’s paternal grandfather, said there were no signs of her being a bad mother, however during their investigation police found social media posts from Dejaune indicating that her son needed to be killed.
“I have survived the death attacks from my 5-year-old throughout the five years he has been alive. I have been able to weaken his powers through our blood. I have his real name and he is 100 years old. Need assistance.”
Dejaune is currently on the run. Her last known location was Los Angeles, though she has been known to frequent San Francisco, San Diego, and Las Vegas.
What happened to Cairo is horrific. I do hope the boy’s mother is found and everyone responsible for his death is held accountable.