Texas couple charged after body of special needs son found buried in backyard
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A Texas couple was arrested after investigators found the body of their adult special needs son buried in their backyard, according to investigators.
According to a Burleson Police social media post, the remains of 26-year-old Jonathan Kinman were found during police’s welfare check at 433 White Oak Lane in Burleson.
Kinman’s mother, December Mitchell, and stepfather, Jonathan Mitchell, were charged with tampering and fabricating physical evidence to cause injury to a human corpse, a second-degree felony. The couple may face additional charges pending the outcome of the autopsy report and investigation. The two are each being held on a $250,000 bond.
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December Mitchell and Jonathan Mitchell were charged with tampering and fabricating physical evidence that would cause injury to a human corpse. (Johnson County Jail)
On October 14, police went to the home to check on the well-being of Kinman, who lived with his mother and stepfather.
Deputy Police Chief Doug Sandifer said an investigation was launched after a family friend reported seeing a confusing Facebook post of the couple grieving Kinman’s death, Fox 4 reported.
Sandifer said investigators became suspicious after the couple admitted to Kinman’s death but provided only vague information about how she died.
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Investigators became suspicious after the couple admitted Jonathan Kinman was dead but provided only vague information about how he died. (Burleson Police)
“The first information that came in was that he was taken to Hugeley Hospital and given a statement there. We followed that up and that was not true,” Sandifer said. he said. “Conflicting information certainly led us to believe that something was not as it should be.”
On October 15, police officers returned with Texas Rangers and discovered a shallow grave in the backyard.
Kinman’s body was exhumed and transported to the Tarrant County Medical Examiner’s Office, where an autopsy was performed. Autopsy results are still pending and the cause of death has not yet been determined.
Autopsy results are still pending and the cause of death has not yet been determined. (Burleson Police)
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It also remains unclear when Kinman died.
Police said they did not believe there was any threat to the community at any point during the investigation.
