A 36-year-old man has been arrested in Aberdeen, Washington, on suspicion of second-degree murder and other charges after the remains of his four-year-old son were discovered buried in a relative's backyard. Police found the boy's body on May 15, three days after officers first became aware of the child's disappearance during a welfare check on the suspect's six-year-old daughter.
The suspect, who has not been formally charged, is also being held on suspicion of first-degree manslaughter, unlawful disposal of human remains, and making false statements to a public servant. According to KING 5, the man initially told police that his son was staying with a relative out-of-state, but investigators later confirmed the child was not with that individual.
The boy, identified as Aiden, had previously been in foster care. His former foster family, Gary and Magali Lopez, said they had repeatedly warned authorities about the dangers of returning Aiden to his biological parents. They reported that the child would return from visits dirty, underfed, and placed in unsafe situations.
“Something that we had been dreading. A fear of ours ever since he left,” Gary Lopez told KING 5. Magali Lopez expressed anger that their warnings to Child Protective Services and the Department of Children, Youth, and Families were ignored. “Everyone failed,” she said.
Washington State Republican Party Chair Jim Walsh commented on the case, stating that the foster parents' concerns were not heeded. “They voiced their concerns to Child Protective Services and the DCYF, and the foster parents said, ‘We think this child is in trouble. Please look into it.’ But the foster parents weren’t listened to,” Walsh said.
Police are continuing to investigate the circumstances surrounding Aiden's death. The boy's grandmother, who owned the property where the remains were found, also lived at the residence.
