Authorities in Dayton, Ohio, say the body of 7-year-old Hershall Creachbaum — a non-verbal boy with autism who used a wheelchair — has been found, and two adults are now facing charges in connection with his death.
Hershall was reported missing on Saturday, July 12, with initial claims suggesting he had been kidnapped. But just hours later, police discovered a body believed to be his. At a press conference on Monday, Dayton Police Chief Kamran Afzal revealed that investigators now believe Hershall had been dead for several weeks prior to being reported missing.
His mother, Ashley Johnson, has been arrested and charged with obstructing justice and failure to report a death. A man identified as 38-year-old Michael Kendrick — who police say was the one to call 911 — has also been arrested and faces charges of tampering with evidence and abuse of a corpse.
Chief Afzal emphasized that these charges are preliminary, and additional — potentially more serious — charges may follow pending forensic examination results. “Our endgame is to have a lot more serious charges,” he stated, without going into specifics.
Afzal also confirmed that another child, Hershall’s sister, was living in the same home. She is now in the care of child protective services.
