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A 19-year-old babysitter has been arrested for murder after police searching for an 11-month-old boy made the horrifying discovery of the baby's bruised body hidden inside a couch.
Elijah Mayes was supposed to be caring for little Grayson Walton while the Kentucky infant's father was at work when the child vanished, according to police.
uncertain
child → see → police
But investigators allege Mayes concocted an elaborate story to explain Grayson's disappearance.
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Mayes → allege → disappearance
Mayes is alleged to have created a fake phone number and then sent messages to himself while pretending to be the woman he claimed had collected the baby.
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he → allege → baby
Authorities allege the messages were simply an attempt to manufacture an alibi.
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messages → allege → alibi
The desperate search ended with officers finding Grayson dead inside a couch at a home in Cleaton, Kentucky, according to court records obtained by local media.
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Grayson → end → media
The infant was covered in bruises and appeared to have teeth marks on his stomach, police said.
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police → cover → stomach
Grayson died just two weeks before he was due to celebrate his first birthday.
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he → die → birthday
Elijah Mayes, 19, was supposed to be babysitting Grayson Walton while the infant's father was at work
Police found 11-month-old Grayson dead and hidden inside a couch at a home in Cleaton, Kentucky
The disturbing investigation began shortly after 5pm on September 12 when officers from the Central City Police Department were called to a home.
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officers → suppose → home
Grayson's father told police he was searching for his son and that Mayes, 19, had been entrusted with babysitting the child while he worked.
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he → tell → child
Investigators began questioning Mayes about where the baby had gone.
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baby → begin → Mayes
Mayes allegedly told officers that a 'family friend' had picked up Grayson at around 10pm the previous night, September 11.
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friend → tell → pm
Police quickly tracked down the woman but her account allegedly blew apart Mayes' story.
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account → track → story
Officers 'located and interviewed that individual, who stated that she had not picked up the child,' Central City police said.
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police → locate → child
Investigators also spoke to one of Grayson's relatives, who said the baby had last been seen with Mayes on September 11 at a different property in nearby Cleaton.
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baby → speak → Cleaton
Police initially searched the Harrison Street home and allegedly discovered what they suspected to be methamphetamine.
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they → search → home
Investigators said the baby had bruises across his body and apparent bite marks on his stomach
Grayson was just two weeks away from celebrating his first birthday when he died
The investigation then shifted to the Cleaton property.
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investigation → say → property
Officers obtained another search warrant and entered the home where the missing baby was found dead.
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baby → obtain → home
Court records seen by Fox 56 state that the child's body had been concealed inside a couch.
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body → see → couch
Mayes was arrested and now faces a string of serious charges including murder, first-degree criminal abuse, tampering with physical evidence, abuse of a corpse and possession of a controlled substance.
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Mayes → arrest → substance
He pleaded not guilty last Thursday and remains jailed at the Muhlenberg County Detention Center as the case against him moves through the courts with a court appearance scheduled for Wednesday.
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case → plead → Wednesday
The investigation also led to a second arrest.
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investigation → lead → arrest
Grayson's step-grandfather, Jeff Barnett, was charged with tampering with physical evidence following Mayes' arrest.
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grandfather → charge → arrest
Barnett's listed address matches the Cleaton property where the baby's body was discovered.
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body → list → property
Authorities have not publicly detailed the precise allegation underlying Barnett's tampering charge.
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Authorities → detail → charge
Grayson's step-grandfather Jeff Barnett was later arrested on a charge of tampering with physical evidence
The devastated community rallied around Grayson's family, with one mourner holding a banner demanding: 'Justice for Grayson'
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mourner → arrest → Grayson
Mourners gathered for a candlelight vigil where residents urged people to 'speak his name' and never forget him
Grayson was remembered as an adorable, happy little boy who loved playing with other children and 'never met a stranger'
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who → gather → stranger
Residents gathered for a candlelight vigil on Thursday night, determined the baby at the center of the horrifying case would be remembered for more than just the circumstances of his death.
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baby → gather → death
Vigil organizer Georgina Sailing said she hoped 'justice is served' for Grayson and his devastated loved ones.
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justice → say → Grayson
'We're getting his name out there,' Sailing told WBKO.
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Sailing → get → WBKO
'My whole thing is, speak his name.
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thing → speak → name
Don't let him be forgotten.
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him → let → ?
'He loved the water.
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He → love → water
He was always happy — he loved playing with other kids,' his obituary reads.
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obituary → play → kids
'He never met a stranger.'
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He → meet → stranger
A GoFundMe has been set up to raise funds for the baby's funeral and the cost of a headstone.
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GoFundMe → set → headstone
The Aporia
