A woman was arrested Tuesday in connection with the case of a black teenager who disappeared in Louisiana last year and was found dead four days after he was reported missing, a sheriff said.
Janet Irvin, 37, was arrested on one count of each of failing to report a missing child and contributing to the crime of a minor, Iberia parish sheriff Tommy Romero said.
It was not immediately clear late Tuesday what role authorities think she is playing and whether she has a lawyer who can speak for her.
Quawan “Bobby” Charles (15) was arrested on October 30 by police in Baldwin, St. Louis. Mary Parish reported missing. Four days later, her body was found in a sugarcane field in the Iberia Parish, near the town of Loreauville.
‘I am confident that my office has an extremely strong case against Mrs. Irvin sued, ‘Romero said in a video statement. He added that after Irvin was arrested, he spoke in person to the teenager’s family.
“I hope this arrest starts helping their family heal. And this case is by no means closed,” Romero said.
Charles’ family members and others called for an independent inquiry, asked if his race played a role in the police response and asked if the Baldwin police had used all their resources to search for him.
Iberia Parish is adjacent to St. Mary Parish, where Baldwin is. Romero said Tuesday that the sheriff of the Iberia parish was not told of a missing youth in his congregation before his mother notified them on November 3, the same day the body would be found.
