The body of a four-year-old boy who disappeared with his family dog on New Year's Eve has been found in a rural area just two miles from his father's Alabama home, bringing a tragic end to an extensive two-day search.
A Desperate Search for a Missing Child
Johnathan Everett 'John John' Boley was last seen around 11:30am on Wednesday, 31 December, playing outside his father's property in Jasper with his six-year-old brother and their black Labrador retriever, Buck. The Walker County Sheriff's Office received a call from the boy's father, Jameson Kyle Boley, reporting him missing around 12:30pm that same day.
Sheriff Nick Smith stated that the younger brother informed their father that Johnathan and the dog had crossed a fence line before vanishing. The initial search involved scouring the home and surrounding land, quickly escalating into a major operation.
By Thursday, the effort had grown to include over 160 volunteers and 126 first responders from multiple agencies, including the FBI. The search party utilised drones, tracking dogs, divers, and a helicopter from Montgomery, covering more than 500 acres of terrain.
Father's Arrest and Unrelated Charges
During the investigation, authorities took the boy's father, Jameson Kyle Boley, into custody. This occurred after law enforcement discovered what they initially believed were explosive devices on his property. Sheriff Smith was quick to stress that this arrest was 'totally separate' from the search for his missing son.
Neighbours told investigators they had been hearing explosions in the area for weeks, with one reporting a loud blast around 4am on the morning Johnathan was reported missing. The FBI processed the home to contain the devices.
Although officials later confirmed the items were not explosive and the property was secured, Jameson Boley was still charged with two counts of chemical endangerment of a child and one count of unlawful manufacture of a destructive device or bacteriological weapon.
Tragic Discovery and Community Grief
On Friday, after the intensive search, Johnathan's body was discovered in a rural area outside Birmingham. His loyal dog, Buck, was found alive nearby. Sheriff Smith announced the grim news at a press conference, stating, 'It's with great sadness that I'm here to announce that we have located Jonathan, and Jonathan is deceased.'
He described Johnathan as an 'adventurous boy' who loved the outdoors, a sentiment echoed by his aunt, Kim Smith, who said her nephew was a 'country boy who loves nature, Paw Patrol and running.'
The sheriff revealed that Johnathan's mother had moved to Florida the previous year, and the father had been granted only five days of custody annually. The four-year-old was in Alabama for a holiday visitation and was due to return to his mother, who had flown in from Florida, on Thursday.
The cause of Johnathan's death remains unknown as of Friday evening. The local community, described as 'devastated by the news,' planned to hold a vigil at the Cornerstone Church in Jasper.
