ST. CLAIR COUNTY – Two people are in custody after a child’s remains were found buried Wednesday in a wooded area in Stookey Township outside Belleville, Illinois, in a case authorities said is believed to be connected to a parental kidnapping investigation involving St. Louis Police and Desloge, Mo., Police. Photos of the suspects in the kidnapping case have been released and are shown above.
The child’s remains were found after a multi-agency search on Wednesday, July 8, 2026. Officials have not released the child’s identity, but said the child was believed to be connected to a case involving two parents.
The Desloge Police Department said 32-year-old Ronnell Marquese Jones and 35-year-old Kirstie Dora are facing parental kidnapping charges in connection with the case. Jones, identified by police as the boy’s father, was arrested June 30, 2026, and Dora was arrested July 2, 2026. Both are being held without bond.
Desloge Police said the investigation began June 12, 2026, when the child’s mother reported that she had not seen her child in more than a year. Police have not said what relation Dora has to Jones or to the child whose remains were found in Stookey Township. An autopsy is being conducted to positively identify the remains and determine a cause of death.
