The death of Jaylen Griffin: Missing boy's mom died of broken heart just months before his body was found in attic

BUFFALO, NEW YORK: The grim search for 12-year-old Jaylen Griffin, who vanished on August 4, 2020, in Buffalo, New York, reached a devastating end when authorities discovered his badly decomposed body in an attic.

This tragic discovery unfolded just months after the death of his mother Joann Ponzo.

Despite extensive efforts by both the community and law enforcement to locate Jaylen, including the distribution of flyers and thorough searches throughout the city, the boy remained missing for months. The heartbreaking search finally concluded on April 12 when Jaylen's remains were found in the attic of a home.

Joann Ponzo's final moments

For Ponzo, the discovery came too late. Her own health rapidly declined, and she died at Sisters of Charity Hospital, unaware of her son's fate.

The loss of both her children, including Jaylen's older brother Jawaan who was tragically killed just months after the former's disappearance, added to Ponzo's grief.

Kareema Morris, founder of Bury the Violence, shared insights into Ponzo's struggle, noting her reluctance to speak to reporters about her son's case but her unwavering presence at vigils held in Jaylen's honor.

Ponzo's fervent hope for her son's safe return persisted until her final days, evident in her poignant social media posts and emotional pleas during community gatherings.

"Wherever you are I pray that you are safe and able to enjoy your day," she posted a birthday message to Facebook. Morris told the publication that Ponzo found it difficult to imagine her son any differently from how she last saw him.

Upon viewing an age-progressed image of Jaylen at 15, Ponzo expressed dismay, stating, "That’s not my son. It doesn’t look like my son," the Daily Mail reported.

Additionally, Ponzo told Morris about a drawing discovered in their home weeks after Jaylen's disappearance, bearing a haunting message, "I’m gone already."

Insights into Jaylen Griffin's disappearance 

Jaylen was last spotted leaving his residence on Warren Avenue in the Broadway-Fillmore neighborhood, informing his mother that he was heading to a nearby convenience store.

However, it was at a residence on Sheffield Avenue, a gloomy dwelling amid a neighborhood of white and gray houses, where Jaylen's body was eventually found.

The discovery was prompted by a maintenance worker who stumbled upon a body in the attic of the multi-unit home. Despite the absence of a decomposing odor, the worker alerted authorities.

Homicide detectives arrived on the scene just before 10:30 am, noting the need for additional time due to the grim nature of the situation. 

"The body that was located in the house had been there for a significant amount of time," Commissioner Joseph Gramaglia said in a press conference on April 15.

Although unable to provide further details regarding the duration of time the body had remained in the attic, Gramaglia stated that its advanced state of decomposition necessitated the medical examiner's office to confirm Jaylen's identity through dental records.