A Texas couple accused of burying their autistic son\u2019s corpse in their backyard boldly claimed that he died at the hospital, but investigators said they couldn\u2019t find any records of his death.<\/p>\n
December Marie Mitchell and Jonathan James Mitchell were arrested after authorities showed up to do a welfare check for their special needs son, 26-year-old Jonathan Kinman, on Oct. 14 and learned he was dead.<\/p>\n
Jonathan James Mitchell and December Marie Mitchell were charged with tampering with or fabricating physical evidence with the intent to impair a human corpse. Johnson County Sheriff’s Office<\/p>\n
During the check-in, December allegedly told police that she had taken Kinman to a local hospital, where he died. She did not specify the date he died or what caused his unexpected death, according to the arrest affidavit.<\/p>\n
She also said she didn\u2019t have any medical paperwork for Kinman\u2019s death and claimed they had him cremated.<\/p>\n
Authorities tried to follow the mother\u2019s claims about the hospital visit, but couldn\u2019t dig up any records confirming his death through the hospital or the medical examiner\u2019s office.<\/p>\n
That same day, Jonathan, who is Kinman\u2019s stepfather, shared a vague post on Facebook alluding to his passing.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo even at your strongest, certain things can make a man, father, and friend break you down to your core. I loved you so much more than I can express even if I didn\u2019t always show it, but my heart is broken in pieces right now. I know [you\u2019re] in a better place, but it still hurts,\u201d he wrote.<\/p>\n
The Mitchells\u2019 son, Jonathan Kinman, was found dead in a shallow grave in their backyard. KDFW<\/p>\n
In the comments, Jonathan added that \u201cour son passed away on Sunday\u201d \u2014 two days before the welfare check.<\/p>\n
Shortly after police wrapped up with December, Jonathan reached out around 6:30 p.m. and reported that he\u2019d learned Kinman was actually buried in their backyard, according to the affidavit.<\/p>\n
Local police returned to the home with Texas Rangers the following day and found Kinman\u2019s body wrapped in a camouflage blanket inside a shallow grave.<\/p>\n
December had apparently told their neighbor that she\u2019d buried her son in the backyard. The neighbor threatened to call 911 and report it if the couple didn\u2019t, so Jonathan phoned authorities, according to the arrest affidavit.<\/p>\n
The body of Kinman, a 26-year-old man with autism, was found wrapped in a camouflage blanket, buried underground. KDFW<\/p>\n
While officers were parsing through the home with a dog from their K9 unit, December started to panic and told Jonathan that \u201cthe dog was going in to find him on me\u2026it was all me\u2026that dog was going in to find him,\u201d according to the affidavit.<\/p>\n