Mother from Washington arrested after her missing 4-year-old son is discovered deceased on the freeway

A mother was arrested on suspicion of murder after her young son, 4-year-old Ariel Garcia, was found dead on the side of the freeway in Everett, Washington. Ariel had been reported missing under suspicious circumstances, leading to an extensive search involving multiple law enforcement agencies. His mother, Janet Garcia, was initially arrested for making false statements after the missing person report was filed. His body was later discovered on Interstate 5 in Pierce County.

Despite the circumstances of Ariel Garcia’s disappearance, an Amber Alert was not issued because his case did not meet the required criteria. However, an Endangered Missing Persons Advisory was released by the Washington State Patrol. The Snohomish County Medical Examiner’s Office will conduct an autopsy to determine the cause and manner of Ariel’s death, while detectives from the Everett Police Department’s Violent Crime Unit arrested Janet Garcia on charges of first-degree murder, second-degree murder, and first-degree assault of a child.

Reports indicate that Ariel Garcia’s grandmother had requested emergency guardianship of the child just days before his death due to concerns about Janet Garcia’s history of drug and alcohol abuse. The grandmother expressed fears that Janet could harm Ariel if she found out about the custody request. A judge granted the emergency guardianship request, but Janet did not appear in court. Prior to Ariel’s death, Clark County Sheriff’s Office deputies received a call reporting Janet Garcia’s presence with blood on her clothing, where she claimed her son had fallen off a bed and hit his head.

Janet Garcia allegedly changed her story multiple times, claiming she had left her son with a friend and traveled to Clark County for alcohol addiction treatment. She was ultimately arrested and is being held without bail at the Snohomish County Jail. The case has raised questions about the circumstances surrounding Ariel Garcia’s death and his mother’s actions leading up to the tragic incident. The community and law enforcement are working to gather more information and seek justice for the young boy. The case remains under investigation as authorities work to determine the definitive cause of Ariel’s death.