Preliminary autopsy findings indicate 4-year-old Johnathan Boley likely died of hypothermia after his body was found partially in a creek about two miles from his Jasper, Alabama, home. Volunteers found him on Jan. 2 after the family dog led searchers to the location; drowning is not suspected and the child had removed his shoes. The final coroner’s report is pending. Johnathan’s father was arrested on unrelated felony charges during the search.
Preliminary Autopsy: 4-Year-Old Found in Alabama Creek Likely Died of Hypothermia
Walker County PDJohnathan Boley.
Preliminary autopsy results indicate that 4-year-old Johnathan Boley likely died of hypothermia after his body was found partially in a creek roughly two miles from his home in Jasper, Alabama.
Walker County Coroner Joey Vick told local media that early findings are consistent with hypothermia; the final autopsy report is still pending from the Walker County Coroner's Office.
Officials said the child had removed his shoes and that drowning is not suspected, according to reporting by NBC affiliate WVTM.
The child was reported missing on New Year’s Eve after he was last seen near a highway while with his dog and his 6-year-old brother. A multi-agency, multi-day search involving volunteers was launched.
Walker County PDThe child's dog.
On Friday, Jan. 2, a volunteer search team located Johnathan partially in a creek after following the family dog to the site, Walker County Sheriff Nick Smith said at a Jan. 5 news briefing shared by WVTM.
“One of the volunteers I spoke to said they saw the dog first, and the dog kind of led them back to where John-John was,” Sheriff Nick Smith said at the briefing.
Sheriff Smith asked the public to respect the family’s privacy during this difficult time and praised the volunteers and agencies involved in the search. The Walker County Coroner's Office did not immediately respond to requests for additional comment.
During the search, Johnathan’s father, Jameson Kyle Boley, was arrested on unrelated charges, including unlawful manufacture of a destructive device (a Class B felony) and two counts of chemical endangerment of a child (Class C felonies). Sheriff Smith emphasized these charges are separate from the investigation into the child’s death. It was not immediately clear whether the father had legal representation.
Funeral services for Johnathan are scheduled for Saturday, Jan. 10, WBRC reported.
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