A Georgia mother has been charged with murder after human remains were discovered by authorities during a missing child investigation.
Following the arrest of Keara Cotton, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) reported that investigators were able to obtain information leading to the discovery of human remains in Cordele, Crisp Count near E. Sixteenth Avenue.
A missing person report was previously filed to the Vienna Police Department in Georgia for 4-year-old Jayceion Mathis, Cotton's son.
The GBI initially took to Twitter to ask the public for help in finding Keara Cotton as well as Mathis.
The remains discovered have not yet been identified and have been sent to the GBI Medical Examiner's Office for identification.
(1/2) We need your help finding Jayceon Mathis. Family members reported to police on 1/20/22 that they have not seen Jayceon in several months. Jayceon lives with his mother, Keara Cotton, in Vienna, GA, and authorities have not been able to locate her since the report was filed. pic.twitter.com/AVANwjZNCV
— GA Bureau of Investigation (@GBI_GA) January 24, 2022
"We need your help finding Jayceion Mathis. Family members reported to police on1/20/22 that they have not seen Jayceion in several months," the tweet read.
"Jayceion lives with his mother Keara Cotton, in Vienna, GA, and authorities have not been able to locate her since the report was filed."
It followed up this Tweet by saying that Cotton had been taken into custody and then charged with murder as well as concealing the death of another and second-degree cruelty to children.
The GBI has arrested Keara Cotton for Murder & Concealing the Death of Another. A missing child investigation has led to the discovery of human remains in Crisp Co.
— GA Bureau of Investigation (@GBI_GA) January 25, 2022
Agents will send the remains to the GBI Medical Examiner’s Office for identification. https://t.co/4dowtJ03Uc pic.twitter.com/D5kNmbFFNy
The GBI also released a press release on Tuesday confirming this information.
Authorities said the investigation is active and ongoing and called on anyone with information to contact the GBI.
Anonymous tips can also be submitted by calling 1-800-597-TIPS (8477), online at https://gbi.georgia.gov/submit-tips-online, or by downloading the See Something, Send Something mobile app.
Newsweek has contacted the Vienna Police Department and Georgia Bureau of Investigation for comment.
Newsweek reported on a similar incident in Georgia late last year.
Kristy Siple reported her 5-year-old daughter, Kamarie Holland, missing in December, but was arrested and charged with her death later that month. Authorities had already charged Jeremy Tremaine Williams with capital murder for the girl's killing.
Siple is facing charges of murder in the course of kidnapping, murder during the course of rape and sodomy and human trafficking.
The warrant for her sex trafficking charge accuses her of making an agreement "with another person to pay her for having sexual intercourse and sodomy with her minor child."
A statement was to WRBL on December 28 through a spokesperson.
"The amount of pain Kristy has caused by ripping Kamarie out of our lives will never cease. We are glad to see that she has been arrested. We are one step closer to justice for Kamarie. It's our hope that justice is served," the statement said.
