December Marie Mitchell and Jonathan James Mitchell Arrested After Special Needs Son, Jonathan Kinman Found Buried in Texas Backyard [PHOTOS]

A Texas mother and stepfather, December Marie Mitchell and Jonathan James Mitchell, have been arrested after their special needs son, 26-year-old Jonathan Kinman, was found buried in a shallow grave behind their Burleson home last week. The cause of death has yet to be determined pending autopsy results.

Officers with the Burleson Police Department responded to a welfare check on White Oak Lane on October 14 for Jonathan. During the welfare check, police received information indicating that Jonathan was dead and buried in the backyard, authorities said in a release.

Burleson police and the Texas Rangers returned to the home the following day, where they uncovered Jonathan’s body, wrapped in a camouflage blanket and buried in a shallow grave near a shed on the family’s property, WFAA reported.

Special Needs Son, Jonathan Kinman Found Buried in Texas Backyard

Kinman, who had Russell-Silver Syndrome — a rare genetic disorder characterized by growth restriction — lived with his mother and stepfather, police said.

Investigators learned that the couple had posted online about Jonathan’s death before police discovered his body. That post prompted a family acquaintance to contact authorities, according to the arrest affidavit.

“We received an inquiry from a friend,” said Deputy Chief Doug Sandifer of the Burleson Police Department.

When questioned, that friend told investigators that Jonathan had died in a hospital, but police found no record of that and determined the claim was false. A family friend later told investigators that the couple confessed Jonathan had recently died and that he was buried behind the home.

According to the affidavit, Jonathan’s stepfather called police before the search, saying he had just learned that his wife had buried their son in the backyard.

Neighbors told 9News they had never seen Jonathan outside in the two years they’d lived nearby.
“Never saw him go in or out of the house. Never ever saw the child,” said neighbor Betty Noyola.

As investigators and cadaver dogs searched the home, December Mitchell was captured on a police backseat camera telling her husband, “The dog was going to find him on me… it was all me… that dog was going to find him.”

Both parents were arrested and charged with tampering/fabricating physical evidence with intent to impair a human corpse, officials said. They were taken to the Johnson County Jail, each held on $250,000 bond.

An autopsy has been ordered, and results are pending. The case remains under investigation, and authorities have not ruled out additional charges.

In the aftermath of Jonathan’s death, his uncle, Jamie Kinman, released a statement on behalf of Jonathan’s biological father’s family:
“We were horrified to hear the news about our precious Jonathan. This is a living nightmare for the Kinman family. Please know that we are in full cooperation with law enforcement, and we will fight for every last ounce of truth and justice to come to light for the sake of our sweet boy.”