VIENNA, Ga. — Vienna Police held a news conference Thursday with more information in the case of Keara Cotton and her missing 4-year-old son, Jayceion.
Authorities say they tried to get in touch with Keara Cotton at her home for days because they suspected she was abusing her two children. She wouldn’t come to the door to talk and promised to bring the children to see DFACS workers, but she didn’t.
Dorothy Smith says she and Keara Cotton are cousins, and thinking of what’s happened over the last week makes her emotional.
“I can tell the way she rubs her kids that she loves them," she said emotionally.
She lives within walking distance from their home, and says Cotton would often bring her children over -- 4-year-old Jayceion Mathis and an 8-year-old daughter.
“She brought her kids over here to see me. She had the little boy with her and the little girl," she explained.
But the last time she says she had seen the child alive was months ago.
"This was right at the beginning of November, and that was the last time I seen her little boy," she added.
It's not clear when Jayceion Mathis was last seen, but authorities say they looked for the family all last week.
"DFACS workers advised law enforcement that several attempts had been made to make contact with Ms. Cotton at her residents," Vienna Police Chief Ketorie Sales said at a press conference.
Because they could not see her two children, investigators suspected they were being abused.
"Friday, Jan. 21, 2022, Cotton asked her mother to pick up her 8-year-old daughter from school and she would bring the 4-year-old to her later that afternoon," he explained.
That never happened, leading to an arrest warrant for cruelty to children.
They found Cotton in the next county over, Crisp.
"Cotton's interview revealed the location of possible human remains located back in Crisp County," he said.
Chief Sales could not mention what condition the remains were found in but says they have not yet been identified.
As of now, there are no other suspects in the case. Vienna police are asking anyone with information on the case to call them at 229-268-2181.