Missing 4-year-old Florida boy found dead after massive 3-day search in Alabama woods

A 4-year-old Florida lad who disappeared portion visiting household implicit New Year’s has been recovered dormant successful Alabama.

Johnathan Everett Boley, known to household members arsenic "John John," was reported missing connected New Year's Eve aft helium wandered distant from a agrarian spot on Highway 195 adjacent Jasper, Alabama, portion playing extracurricular with his dog, Walker County Sheriff Nick Smith said during a quality conference.

Hundreds of instrumentality enforcement officers, volunteers, K-9 teams, drones and craft were deployed successful the search, which covered respective quadrate miles of wooded land. 

Searchers recovered the child’s assemblage Jan. 2 astir 2 miles from the home, officials said. The canine was located live nearby. Authorities did not instantly merchandise a origin of death, with an authoritative autopsy pending.

The assemblage of Johnathan Boley was recovered successful a wooded country adjacent his father’s Alabama location connected Jan. 2, 2025. (FOX 13-WTVT)

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"This is not the result anyone hoped for," Smith said. "Our hearts spell retired to this household and everyone who worked tirelessly to bring this kid home."

Authorities said that the young lad and his siblings unrecorded with their parent successful Florida and were visiting their begetter for the holidays nether a custody arrangement.

The lad was past seen wearing a yellowish Mickey Mouse shirt, achromatic pants and Paw Patrol shoes earlier helium disappeared from the home.

Missing 4-year-old Johnathan Everett Boley was recovered dormant astir 2 miles from his father’s home; his canine was recovered live nearby. (FOX 13-WTVT)

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During the quality conference, investigators announced the apprehension of the boy’s father, Jameson Kyle Boley, 40, which occurred amid the search.

Officials said Boley was charged with unlawful manufacture of a destructive instrumentality aft investigators discovered precursor materials astatine the property.

Jameson Boley, 40, is charged with unlawful manufacturing of a destructive instrumentality and 2 counts of chemic endangerment of a child.  (Blount County Jail)

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According to a transgression ailment filed successful Walker County District Court, Boley is accused of possessing precursor substances with the intent to unlawfully manufacture a destructive instrumentality oregon bacteriological limb connected oregon astir Dec. 31, 2025, astatine the Highway 195 address. The complaint is simply a felony nether Alabama law, tribunal records show.

Police said that the father’s complaint is unrelated to the circumstances surrounding the child’s disappearance and death.

"At this time, determination is nary grounds indicating foul play successful the child’s death, and these charges should not beryllium conflated with the hunt for Johnathan," Smith said.

Members of the Church of the Apostles and DaySpring Summer Camp successful Parrish, Florida gathered for a candlelight supplication vigil for Johnathan Boley. (FOX 13-WTVT)

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In Parrish, Florida, assemblage members gathered for a candlelight vigil for the young boy.

"For truthful galore of us, our hearts are breached implicit the tragic loss," Reverend Douglas Scharf, bishop of the Diocese of Southwest Florida, told FOX 13.

Authorities asked the nationalist to let the household privateness arsenic they grieve and said further accusation would beryllium released erstwhile available.