VICTORVILLE, Calif. (AP) - Sheriff’s detectives, volunteers and search dogs combed a Mojave Desert landfill Tuesday for remains of a 6-year-old Southern California boy as his mother and aunt were arraigned on murder charges.
The search for the body of Duke Flores focused on an area of a Victorville landfill described as containing 600 tons (544.3 metric tons) of material, the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department said.
At the local courthouse, the boy’s mother, Jackee Contreras, and her sister Jennifer Contreras pleaded not guilty during a Superior Court arraignment. The Apple Valley women have been in custody since last week.
Authorities have not revealed what happened to the boy, but said his body was placed in a dumpster.
The investigation began Thursday night when a relative requested deputies make a welfare check on Duke.
“Upon arrival, deputies were told by the suspect, Jackee Contreras, that Duke had not been seen for approximately two weeks,” a department statement said.
Deputies immediately searched the area and booked the mother into jail for investigation of child neglect for the delay in reporting the boy missing.
Homicide investigators began investigating on Friday, gathered evidence and interviewed family members and Jackee Contreras, then booked her for investigation of murder. The next day, her sister was arrested as well.
Victorville is a city of about 125,000 along highway and rail routes in the high desert northeast of Los Angeles.
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