Kentucky State Police said remains found Friday during a search of the family residence of missing 8-month-old Miya Rudd likely belong to the girl.
“Kentucky State Police detectives located an infant’s body consistent with Miya Rudd at 1:15 today,” the agency said in a statement.
The hidden body was decomposing, it said.
The remains were found in a corner of the home, which was full of debris, Trooper Corey King told NBC affiliate WFIE of nearby Evansville, Indiana.
“Not the results we wanted,” he said, “but really expected.”
Preliminary findings from a medical examiner, including possible identification, could come as soon as Saturday, King told the station.
Law enforcement officials said that with the discovery, the search now transitions to a criminal investigation.
The girls’ parents, Tesla Tucker, 29, and Cage Rudd, 30; paternal grandparents Billie J. Smith, 49, and Ricky J. Smith, 56; and a fifth person, identified as Timothy L. Roach, were arrested in early June on drug charges.
All except Roach are from Reynolds Station, about 90 miles southwest of Louisville, police said. Roach is from Owensboro, about 25 miles west of Reynolds Station, they said.
It’s not clear if they have retained legal counsel. The public defender for the region did not respond to a request for comment.
