A 19-year-old man identified as Elijah Mayes has been arrested and charged with murder after 11-month-old Grayson Walton, who had been reported missing, was found dead inside a home in Kentucky. Police said Mayes was expected to care for the infant while the child’s father was at work. The case came to light after officers responded to a disturbance call in Central City and began investigating the circumstances surrounding the baby’s disappearance.

According to the Central City Police Department, officers arrived at a residence in the 800 block of Harrison Avenue at around 5.10pm on Saturday, September 12. Grayson’s father reportedly told investigators that he had left the child in Mayes’ care while he went to work. Mayes allegedly initially told police that a family friend had collected the baby at around 10pm on Friday, September 11. However, the person identified by Mayes denied having picked up the child when questioned by investigators.

As the inquiry continued, another relative reportedly told police that Grayson had last been seen with Mayes at a residence on Hillview Street in Cleaton on Friday. Investigators subsequently obtained search warrants for properties in Central City and Cleaton as they attempted to establish the child’s movements and determine what had happened after he was left in Mayes’ care. The conflicting accounts provided to police increased the focus on Mayes during the investigation.

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During the searches, officers reportedly found suspected methamphetamine inside Mayes’ residence on Harrison Avenue. Police later searched a property in the 300 block of Hillview Street in Cleaton, where they discovered Grayson’s body inside the home. Authorities have not publicly disclosed further details about the child’s cause of death or the precise circumstances in which he died. The investigation remains active as officers continue to gather evidence and establish a complete timeline.

Mayes was arrested and taken to the Muhlenberg County Detention Center. In addition to murder, he faces charges of first-degree criminal abuse, tampering with physical evidence, abuse of a corpse and first-degree possession of a controlled substance involving methamphetamine. The charges reflect the allegations being investigated by authorities, and further details about the evidence against him or his legal representation were not immediately available in the report.

The Central City Police Department expressed condolences to Grayson Walton’s family and loved ones following the discovery. The case has raised serious questions about the circumstances under which the infant was being supervised and the events that preceded his death. Police have not indicated that the investigation has concluded, and additional information may emerge as forensic examinations, witness interviews and other investigative procedures continue.

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