Columbus, Ohio – The body of Darnell Taylor, a missing five-year-old boy, has been discovered in a sewage drain, and his foster mother has been taken into custody. The tragic incident unfolded in Columbus over the past week, with a two-day search for Darnell coming to a devastating end on Friday.
Authorities confirmed that Darnell’s body was found at 1 am early Friday morning. The Ohio Attorney General’s office has labeled the case a homicide and an ongoing investigation is underway. The foster mother, identified as Pammy Maye, was arrested on Tiedeman Road in Brooklyn late Thursday night, following a tip from a witness who reported seeing her in the vicinity. Police subsequently located Darnell’s body nearby.
Maye was transported to a local hospital where she provided information to law enforcement about what transpired. Officers were then able to locate the boy’s remains shortly thereafter. Yesterday, an alert had been issued to residents in the Cleveland area to be on the lookout for Maye and Darnell.
The situation unfolded when Maye’s husband called the police around 3 am on Wednesday, expressing concern that his wife had made statements indicating harm to their foster child. The couple had been caring for Darnell since May 2023, when he was just three years old. Authorities have since informed Darnell’s biological family of the tragic news. It has been revealed that police had previously been called to Maye’s address for an unrelated incident several months ago.
As the investigation continues, chilling audio from a 911 call was played during a news conference on Thursday. In the call, a man can be heard mentioning that his wife said she had killed their foster child, although the audio is not entirely clear. Columbus Police Chief Elaine Bryant emphasized the imminent danger that Darnell was believed to be in.
Darnell’s biological grandfather, Anthony Baines, made an emotional plea for his grandson’s safe return prior to the discovery of the boy’s body. Baines described feeling partially responsible for Darnell’s disappearance since he had made the decision to give him up for adoption.
The tragic case of Darnell Taylor highlights the devastating outcome of his disappearance, as authorities work to unravel the circumstances surrounding his death. Further details are expected to emerge as the investigation unfolds.