A 19-year-old babysitter, Elijah Mayes, has been charged with murder and related offenses after 11-month-old Grayson Walton was found dead inside a couch at a Cleaton home. Police say the infant's body showed bruising and apparent teeth marks, and investigators allege Mayes tried to fabricate an alibi by texting himself from a fake number. The child's step-grandfather was also arrested on a tampering-with-evidence charge. The small community held a candlelight vigil to remember Grayson, who died just weeks before his first birthday.
19-Year-Old Babysitter Charged After 11-Month-Old Found Dead Inside Couch; Body Reportedly Covered in Bruises and Teeth Marks
Elijah Mayes; Grayson Walton.Credit: City of Central City Police Department/Tucker Funeral Home
A 19-year-old Kentucky man, Elijah Mayes, has been charged with murder and other offenses after an 11-month-old boy he was reportedly babysitting, Grayson Walton, was found dead inside a couch at a Cleaton home, according to Central City police and local reports.
What Authorities Say
Officers responded to a Harrison Street residence in Central City just after 5 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 12, after the child's father reported he could not find his son. Police say the father had left Grayson in the care of Mayes while he was at work.
Elijah Mayes.Credit: City of Central City Police Department
Mayes initially told investigators that a "family friend" picked up the child late Friday, Sept. 11. Investigators located and interviewed the woman, who denied taking the baby, and a relative told police the last confirmed sighting of Grayson was with Mayes on Sept. 11 at a Cleaton home.
Searches and Discovery
Police say they found what they suspected was methamphetamine during a search of the Harrison Street home. After obtaining a second search warrant, officers searched the Cleaton residence and discovered Grayson dead inside a couch. Court records obtained by local outlets WFIE and FOX 56 state that the infant's body was covered in bruises and investigators observed what appeared to be teeth marks on his stomach.
Grayson Walton.Credit: Tucker Funeral Home
Alleged Fabrication of an Alibi
Investigators allege Mayes tried to fabricate an alibi by creating a fake phone number and texting himself while posing as the person he claimed had taken the child. Mayes has been charged with murder, first-degree criminal abuse, tampering with physical evidence, abuse of a corpse and possession of a controlled substance. He pleaded not guilty on Sept. 17 and is being held at the Muhlenberg County Detention Center pending further proceedings; his next court date was scheduled for Sept. 23.
Other Arrests
Soon after Mayes' arrest, the baby's step-grandfather, Jeff Barnett, was arrested on a charge of tampering with physical evidence. Local reports list Barnett's address as the Cleaton home where Grayson's body was found.
Community Reaction and Remembrance
On Sept. 17 community members gathered for a candlelight vigil to remember Grayson. Vigil organizer Georgina Sailing told WBKO, "We're getting his name out there. My whole thing is, speak his name. Don't let him be forgotten." Attendees described Grayson's immediate family as devastated; an obituary says he died just two weeks before his first birthday and remembers him as a happy baby who loved the water, enjoyed time with "Ms. Rachel" and "never met a stranger."
Resources: If you suspect child abuse, contact the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-CHILD (1-800-422-4453) or visit www.childhelp.org. All calls are toll-free, confidential and available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.
Note: The allegations in this report are based on police statements and court records. The accused has pleaded not guilty; the legal process is ongoing.
Help us improve.
