Mother charged with murder after missing 4-year-old son is found dead near highway

A Washington mother was arrested Friday for the murder of her 4-year-old son, who was found dead near a highway after disappearing earlier this week.

The Everett Police Department made the announcement that Janet Garcia was charged with first- and second-degree murder, as well as assault on a child, following the discovery of Ariel Garcia’s body along Interstate 5 Thursday.

Authorities also accused her of making false and misleading statements during their investigation.

The mother was considered a person of interest by authorities shortly after a family member reported Ariel missing on Wednesday.

When questioned by investigators, Janet Garcia allegedly did so said that Ariel fell that morning and hit his head. Garcia claimed she took him to a hospital but left because the wait was too long arrest affidavit quoted by local newspaper KOMO News.

The mother reportedly told investigators that she dropped her son off at a friend’s house in Seattle and did not know what happened to him afterward.

According to KOMO News, authorities found a significant amount of blood in the Everett apartment where Garcia was staying. It was also said that Garcia had blood on her shirt at the time of her arrest.

Just two days before Ariel was reported missing, his grandmother had filed for legal custody of the boy. The grandmother said Garcia was dealing with a substance abuse problem that hindered her ability to parent, according to court records cited by the Lynnwood Times newspaper.

The grandmother claimed that her daughter’s substance abuse had worsened in recent months and that she would often abuse drugs for days at a time. The grandmother described her daughter as “violent and unpredictable,” which made Ariel “afraid” to be around her.

Garcia became more “erratic” in the week before her son’s disappearance, at one point throwing Ariel’s older brother against a wall, the Lynnwood Times reported.

“I love my grandson and I want to protect him from everything his mother can do when she uses drugs,” the grandmother said. “My daughter is a threat to her son… I fear she will act maliciously against him and cause him irreparable harm.”

It is unclear whether Garcia has retained an attorney and when she is expected to appear in court. The Snohomish County Superior Court did not immediately respond to EN’s request for clarification.

Need help with substance abuse or mental health issues? In the US, you can call 800-662-HELP (4357) for the SAMHSA National Helpline.