Human remains of the missing right-month-old Miya Rudd have been discovered by the Kentucky police during a welfare check in Reynolds Station, Kentucky. This led to the apprehension of several family members.
The child, also known as Miya Tucker, vanished in April. Responding to a welfare check on June 6, Kentucky State Police were unable to find her. Tesla Tucker, 29, and Cage Rudd, 30, her parents, initially stated that child services had taken Miya, but authorities later debunked this claim.
During the welfare check, officers discovered drug paraphernalia, including methamphetamine, in the home. An arrest affidavit revealed that Miya’s umbilical cord had tested positive for methamphetamine at her birth in October 2023, raising drug exposure concerns. Consequently, Miya’s parents and her grandfather Ricky Smith, 56, were arrested on multiple charges related to her disappearance.
On June 14, state troopers found an infant’s body concealed within the Rudd’s home. According to the Kentucky State Police, “The decomposed body was located inside the residence, hidden in a concealed manner.” The remains were sent to the Kentucky Medical Examiner’s Office in Louisville for further investigation.
The suspects appeared in court on June 17. Miya’s parents, her grandfather, and Brodie Payne, 28, another resident of the house, faced charges of abuse of a corpse, tampering with evidence, and failure to report a death. All four entered automatic “not guilty” pleas.
Kentucky State Police Detective Dalton Mellott reported the alarming conditions of the residence, including meth residue in a room with a bassinet and diapers. The officers also found 61 Trazodone pills and unused syringes, along with two handguns in a bedroom and a muzzleloader in the attic.
Taletha D. Tucker, 50, and David Tucker, 53, Miya’s grandparents, were also arrested. They had been taking care of Tesla Tucker’s other three children, who have since been moved from their custody. Ricky Smith’s lawyer noted that the methamphetamine was found in the main house, not Smith’s living quarters. However, the judge found probable cause for all charges and referred the case to the Ohio County Grand Jury.
A woman claiming to be Miya’s aunt has set up a GoFundMe page to raise funds for a memorial. The page states, “We are devastated due to this tragedy and need your help in raising enough money to give her the proper burial and memorial she deserves.” The campaign has already raised over $6900.
The Kentucky State Police maintain that the investigation is ongoing and additional charges could be filed. They have called for anyone with information about Miya’s death to come forward.