ESCAMBIA COUNTY, Fla. (WALA) – Disturbing details were uncovered in the arrest report of the mother charged with aggravated manslaughter in the death of her 5-year-old nonverbal son with autism.
According to the arrest report, Jalynda Smith and her son Jakaiden Smith were reported missing on February 5th by Smith’s sister.
Records show Smith’s sister received a text from Smith directing her to check her email, where she found a message telling her not to contact Smith’s mother or police and to use an app called Telegram so Smith’s messages would be secure and she couldn’t be tracked.
During the message exchange, documents show Smith’s sister asked about Jakaiden and Smith replied, “I came in the house and he was not breathing.”
The sister went to Smith’s apartment and found both Smith and her son were gone, the apartment was very cold, and sheets on the bed were missing, the report says.
Records show Escambia County Sheriff’s Office Dispatch received a call reporting the body of a small child found in a trash bag along the waterline of the bay located near Lillian Highway on Friday.
Documents say the child was wrapped in at least two blankets and a towel.
The arrest report says his body was extremely emaciated and an autopsy revealed Jakaiden weighed only 20 pounds, appearing severely malnourished and dehydrated.
The cause and manner of death are still pending toxicology records.
The reports also say apartment surveillance video shows Smith’s car leaving the apartment complex on February 4 and not returning. Her car was later located at a Walmart parking lot in Gulf Breeze, and video showed a person matching Smith parking there the next day, visiting nearby stores, then leaving via a ride-share service, the report says.
Smith was arrested and charged with aggravated manslaughter.
In 2022, Smith was charged with child neglect after leaving her then 18-month-old son alone in their apartment for about two hours.