Janet Gracia: Woman found with bloodied shirt charged with murder after missing son, 4, is found dead
Warning: This article contains a recollection of crime and can be triggering to some, readers’ discretion advised.
EVERETT, WASHINGTON: The Everett Police Department (EPD) has apprehended a mother in connection with the demise of the missing 4-year-old, Ariel Gracia.
After this distressing revelation, the accused, Janet Gracia, is presently confronting charges of first-degree murder, second-degree murder, and assault of a child in the first degree.
It is noteworthy that the apprehension was facilitated with the cooperation of the Clark County Sheriff's Office (CCSO) as per Everett Police.
Everett Police discovered the dead 4-year-old boy
On Thursday, March 28, 2024, at approximately 5:55 p.m., Everett Police received a report of a body found along I-5 in Pierce County.
Detectives from EPD promptly arrived at the scene and positively identified the deceased as Ariel Garcia. The family has been informed of the discovery.
The Snohomish County Medical Examiner has assumed custody of the body and will proceed with determining the cause and manner of death.
Everett Mayor Cassie Franklin claimed, "I am completely heartbroken for the family and friends of Ariel Garcia and they will remain in my thoughts as they grieve this unbelievably tragic loss."
He added, “I want to commend our Everett Police Department leadership, the many hard-working men and women that make up our team and our law enforcement partners throughout the region for all your work investigating this case.”
Franklin concluded, “I also want to thank our media partners and the public for their help disseminating information and sharing tips – it really does make a difference."
Child was reported missing under ‘suspicious circumstances’
A relative reported the child missing under suspicious circumstances at approximately 4:00 p.m. on Wednesday, March 27. Notably, Janet's car was impounded by CCSO on the same day.
The department initiated an extensive regional search, involving nearly one hundred officers, agents, and investigators from various jurisdictions, including the FBI. Based on preliminary investigations, it was determined that the child was last seen on Wednesday morning.
On Thursday, the Washington State Patrol issued an Endangered Missing Persons Advisory, a more localized alert, as the case did not meet the criteria for an AMBER Alert, which has federally set requirements.
Updates and requests for information were also disseminated to local media and the public to spread awareness throughout the region.
Detectives from the Everett Police Department continue their investigation as Ariel's cause of death, described only as "homicidal violence" by authorities, remains unspecified
Anyone with information regarding this incident is urged to contact the Everett Police Department TIP LINE at (425) 257-8450 or tips@everettwa.gov.
What did the child’s mother Janet Gracia report?
As per a report from Law&Crime, an arrest affidavit revealed that investigators discovered a significant quantity of blood within the apartment shared by Ariel and his mother Janet.
Additionally, blood was observed on her shirt. Allegedly, she explained that Ariel had experienced a fall and struck his head earlier that morning, prompting her to take him to the hospital.
However, purportedly due to an excessively long wait, she decided to leave. She asserted that she subsequently left Ariel at a residence in Seattle while she boarded a bus. Notably, Ariel was the subject of a custody disagreement between his mother and grandmother.
