Mississippi autopsy confirms child’s body in garbage bags

Published 1:03 pm Tuesday, September 17, 2019

(AP) — An autopsy confirms that remains found in garbage bags in a Mississippi basement belonged to a small child.

Meridian Police Chief Benny Dubose tells The Meridian Star the Friday autopsy found a badly decomposed body with a broken rib on one side and cracked ribs on the other. Dubose says the autopsy also found burns.

Police have charged 35-year-old Celeste Louise Smith of Meridian with capital murder and child neglect. She led police to the body Wednesday after another woman reported her 5-year-old son, Jakie Toole, had been missing since April. Police say Smith once took care of the boy and his siblings.

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Dubose says officials are awaiting results of a DNA test to confirm the body’s identity.

Smith is jailed without bail and waived a preliminary hearing Monday.