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In a tragic case from Florida, a woman is facing serious charges after allegedly taking the life of her 5-year-old son, who was non-verbal and autistic. Authorities claim she placed his body in a black trash bag and disposed of it in the bay.
On March 26, Jalynda Karie Smith faced a grand jury in Escambia County, where she was formally charged with first-degree murder and evidence tampering. This indictment followed the discovery of her son’s severely undernourished remains by the bay over a month earlier, according to a statement released by the Office of State Attorney, First Judicial Circuit of Florida.
When authorities found the child, he was reported to have lost over a third of his body weight, showing clear signs of malnutrition and dehydration, as detailed in an arrest warrant obtained by Oxygen.
The officer’s account in the warrant paints a haunting picture: “The child’s rib cage was visibly outlined through his skin, and his lower abdomen appeared hollowed out,” the officer noted. “His limbs looked like mere skin stretched over bone, inconsistent with what would be expected of a 5-year-old’s body mass.”
Jalynda Smith Allegedly Begged Sister Not to Call Police
The case unfolded after Smith’s mother alerted authorities on February 5, expressing concern over the sudden disappearance of both her daughter and grandson, whom she hadn’t seen for four days. This unusual behavior was compounded by the fact that Smith’s phone was turned off, as documented in the warrant.
The next day Smith allegedly texted her sister asking her to check her emails, authorities said. That was when Smith’s sister—who wasn’t identified by investigators—discovered email had been sent from Smith at 6:13 a.m., saying “1st please don’t tell ma u heard from me and please don’t tell the police.”
Smith went on to write that would tell her sister “everything,” per the court records, but wanted her to download the Telegram app so their conversation would be secure. During their conversation, Smith allegedly said she was “scared” and wanted her sister to call the police to tell them that she was no longer missing. When asked about her son’s whereabouts, Smith allegedly replied “I came in the house and he was not breathing,” the reporting officer wrote.
Smith’s sister went to her home and discovered it empty, with the sheets missing off the bed. Neighbors also noted that they hadn’t seen Smith in several days.
Concerned, her sister called law enforcement officers, who secured a warrant for the home. Inside, the officer wrote in the warrant that it was “stocked with sufficient food,” but there was “a smell of urine” in the child’s bedroom.
Jalynda Smith’s Son Was Found in Bay Wearing Only a Diaper
Later that morning at approximately 10:14 a.m., the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office received a call that the body of a small Black child wearing only a diaper had been found in the bay off Lillian Highway, wrapped in towels and blankets and stuffed into a black trash bag, according to the warrant. The child had a notable gap in his teeth and appeared to the match photos Smith’s family had provided of the missing 5-year-old.
During an autopsy, a medical examiner determined the child weighed just 20 pounds, which was 10 pounds less than he weighed during a doctor’s visit on Dec. 15.
The reporting officer spoke to the child’s pediatrician, who said Smith told doctors at the time of the visit that her son was vomiting after he ate food, an assertion she also made in 2024. The pediatrician ordered lab work, but Smith never complied, authorities said.
When the reporting officer asked the boy’s pediatrician about his weight loss, the doctor allegedly responded “that the child losing one-third of his body weight in less than two months is incredibly concerning,” per the report.
Investigators believe the boy’s death was the result of abuse due to starvation or medical neglect.
According to the arrest warrant, Smith had been investigated by the Department of Children and Families in 2022 and 2025 after reports were made that she’d been leaving the child at home unattended. While the 2022 report found she was providing “inadequate supervision,” the report in October of 2025 concluded she was “meeting the child’s needs.”
Where is Jalynda Smith Now?
Around the same time that the child’s remains were found, Smith’s car was spotted in a Walmart parking lot. However, surveillance footage showed she’d taken a ride share from the parking lot on Feb. 5 after shopping, leaving her vehicle behind. She was later located and taken into custody. A review of her phone showed that she’d wiped the device just two minutes before she was taken into custody, according to the warrant.
She invoked her right to remain silent and declined to speak with investigators.
reached out to her attorney, but did not receive an immediate reply. She is currently being held at the Escambia County Jail without bond and is expected to appear in court for her docket day on May 19, prosecutors said.