Mother of missing tot taken into custody as body is discovered

An Afton, Missouri mom was escorted by police to the scene of the grisly discovery at a cemetery near the family home, and then taken in for questioning at police headquarters.

The mother of Tyler Dasher, 13 months, was being held at the St. Louis County Justice Center. The 20-year-old mother is being detained on suspicion of first-degree murder, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. A police source divulged that authorities believe the tyke was killed in a fit of rage.

Tyler Dasher was reported missing yesterday (Tuesday) at around 11 a.m. His mother, Shelby Dasher, told police she overslept that morning and discovered him gone from his crib when she awoke. Tyler’s body, which was found in what authorities described as a shocking condition, was discovered in a cemetery by dog walkers in the afternoon about a mile from the family home. The coroner did not immediately release the cause of death. The people who discovered the body were visibly shaken and did not speak to the press.

Shelby Dasher and the boy’s father, who does not live with the family, were apparently cooperative in the investigation. Police interviewed seven family members over the last 24 hours. Tyler lived with his mother and grandmother, but it was not immediately clear where the grandmother was at the time of the boy’s disappearance.

Nicole Howard, a cousin, told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch that Dasher was a dedicated parent. "Shelby takes very good care of her son," Howard said. "She loves him."

A small band of people clustered around the cemetery in the afternoon. They cried and hugged, although it was not immediately clear if they were related to the family. The body was discovered within about 100 feet of a busy road.

Police would not discuss the condition of the body, but St. Louis County Police Chief Tim Fitch said at a news conference that he was sickened by the finding. "It says to me it's a pretty sick person," Fitch commented. "Anybody that would take a child and leave a child in a wooded area in that condition needs to be dealt with severely by the criminal justice system."
Unlike in other recent notorious toddler disappearances and deaths, police suspected foul play right away, as they doubted a 13-month-old could climb out of his crib without help.

The case underscores the unseen prevalence of child abuse, which only comes to light when the victim dies. It also brings to light the extent of the anger and rage many parents visit on their children, despite being seen by other family members as devoted parents.

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Image Source: Wikimedia Commons

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