A Missouri father is now behind bars without bond after authorities say a child’s remains were discovered in a wooded area just 16 miles from his home — nearly a year after he allegedly stopped letting the boy’s mother see him.
Ronnell Marquese Jones, 32, and Kirstie Dora, 35, were taken into custody separately and now face charges of parental kidnapping and harassment tied to the disappearance of Jones’ young son. Officials with the Desloge Police Department say Jones, the boy’s biological father, had been blocking contact between the child and his mother since April 2024 — the same year she filed a missing person report.
According to investigators, the mother’s last memory of her son was seeing him in Jones’ vehicle, noting he was missing some teeth at the time. Shortly after, Jones allegedly left the state with the boy and reportedly gave shifting, inconsistent accounts of where his son had gone.
At one point, Jones allegedly claimed the child had been placed into state custody. On another occasion, he reportedly told people he had dropped the boy off with an Amish community in Mississippi, claiming he still visited him there. Police say Jones repeatedly refused to cooperate with the ongoing investigation, and several witnesses later told authorities they believed the boy was already dead.
An arrest warrant was issued on June 12, and Jones was taken into custody on June 30. Dora was arrested two days later, on July 2, facing identical charges. Police have not disclosed how the two defendants are connected to one another.
Just before Jones’ scheduled bond hearing, the Desloge Police Department announced Thursday that a child’s remains had been located in Stookey Township, Illinois — a discovery officials say is directly tied to the ongoing kidnapping case. The identity of the child has not yet been confirmed.
Court filings noted that “in light of new information,” Jones would be held without bond going forward. Dora is also being detained without bond. As of now, neither has been formally charged in connection with the child’s death.
Both remain in custody at the St. Francois County Jail. Jones is next expected in court on July 16, while updated court dates for Dora have not yet been released.