Search for 8-month-old continues in Ohio County

OHIO COUNTY, Ky. (ABC36 NEWS NOW) – Five individuals, including Miya Tucker Rudd’s parents and grandparents, are in custody as authorities continue to investigate the disappearance of the eight-month-old. The case has left investigators grappling with more questions than answers.

“We don’t know what happened to baby Miya,” Trooper Corey King told ABC36 News Now, emphasizing the ongoing uncertainty surrounding the infant’s whereabouts.

Authorities reveal that Miya hasn’t been seen since late April, and family members arrested in connection with the case have been uncooperative. “We have no information that she’s dead, but we also don’t have any information that she’s alive,” adds Trooper Corey King.

The case sheds light on the impact of illicit drugs on families and communities, with King noting, “This has been, actually, years in the making with this particular family, so no surprise that this particular family is largely addicted to a variety of drugs, including methamphetamine.”

Miya was born into challenging circumstances, with King explaining, “It’s because of the drugs that the parents are addicted to and what we’re finding out is trafficking these drugs.” The investigation, which began on June 6th, saw cadaver dogs scouring the home of Miya’s parents in Reynolds Station, along with nearby areas like a church, cemetery, and the woods.

The welfare check leading to the investigation stemmed from concerns raised during a drug-related inquiry. “Someone mentioned to him that, hey, you know, this family has an eight-month-old child that hasn’t been seen since the end of April, and that prompted, okay, we need to do a welfare check on this child,” King told us.

Arrests in connection to the case include Miya’s parents, Tesla Tucker and Cage Rudd, along with her grandparents, Billie and Ricky Smith, and Timothy Roach. Authorities urge anyone with information to come forward, emphasizing that cooperation is crucial in locating Miya.

“If someone is holding or harboring this child for the family while they’re going through this, that’s the best outcome that we can have. But we would want them to tell us you’re not in trouble. We simply want to know where this baby is,” King said.

Police urge individuals with information to contact law enforcement or submit tips anonymously.