Human Remains of Missing Infant Miya Rudd Found in Kentucky Home

“For investigators, this really, at this point, just kicks off the death investigation. Now we're starting just as if we had arrived at the scene and located this deceased baby... We have our surveying equipment now starting to come out; we're processing it as a normal crime scene.”

— KSP Trooper Corey King to WFIE-14 News

Authorities Discover Infant's Remains

Human remains belonging to 8-month-old Miya Rudd were found concealed in her parents' home in Reynolds Station, Kentucky, on Friday, June 16. This discovery culminated a missing child investigation initiated by the Kentucky State Police on June 6.

Investigation Leads to Arrests

Miya's mother, 29-year-old Tesla Tucker, and father, 30-year-old Cage C. Rudd, were swiftly arrested, along with Miya's grandfather, 56-year-old Ricky J. Smith, and another resident, 28-year-old Brodie Payne. The infant's remains were located by investigators using cadaver dogs and specialized equipment.

The Ohio County Coroner's Office will take custody of Miya's remains for transportation to the Kentucky Medical Examiners Office in Louisville, per the Kentucky State Police.

Family Members Unseensince April

It has been revealed that Miya had not been seen by her family since late April, according to an arrest report cited by the Louisville Courier-Journal. Miya's parents were initially detained at the Daviess County Detention Center on charges of drug possession, drug trafficking, and minor abandonment.

Expanding Investigation Yields More Arrests

The investigation has since broadened, leading to the arrest of Miya's paternal grandmother, 49-year-old Billie J. Smith, on an outstanding domestic violence warrant. A search warrant executed at the Owensboro home of Miya's maternal grandparents, 50-year-old Taletha D. Tucker and 53-year-old David Tucker, resulted in their arrest on Tuesday.

On Monday, Tucker, Rudd, Smith, and Payne pled not guilty to their respective charges in court, per WFIE.

Sources:

• WFIE
• Press Release via Facebook
• Louisville Courier-Journal