A Week of Hope, A Lifetime of Grief: The Tragic Story of Jayden Spicer
Jayden Spicer was just ten years old—bright, playful, and known for his love of Sonic the Hedgehog. On the night of August 6, 2025, he vanished from his home in Jackson, Kentucky. His mother, Felicia Gross, told authorities he had disappeared overnight. What followed was a frantic, heart-wrenching search that gripped the community and drew in volunteers, drones, K-9 units, and thermal imaging across 20 square miles of rugged terrain.
For six days, hope flickered. Locals raised thousands in reward money. A priest pledged more. Strangers prayed. But on August 12, that hope shattered.
Jayden’s body was found buried in a shallow grave off Canoe Road, nearly 19 miles from his home. He was placed in a plastic tote, hidden beneath the earth near the mouth of Joe Little Fork. The discovery turned a missing-child case into a criminal investigation.
His mother was arrested the same day.
Felicia Gross, 33, confessed to giving Jayden “a type of sleeping medication,” which she claimed triggered a medical emergency. Instead of calling for help, she buried him in the woods1. She faces charges of second-degree manslaughter, abuse of a corpse, tampering with evidence, and falsely reporting an incident. Authorities later learned she had coached Jayden’s siblings on what to say during interviews, adding witness tampering to the list of charges.
Jayden’s remains were sent to the state medical examiner’s office. His final moments remain unclear, but the pain of his loss is unmistakable.
Commonwealth’s Attorney Miranda King spoke with quiet sorrow: “While this is not the outcome we hoped for, we are grateful that we were able to bring him out of the woods today”.
This story is not just about a crime—it’s about a community that refused to give up, a child whose life was cut short, and the haunting reminder that sometimes, the danger lies closest to home.
Jayden deserved safety. He deserved love. And while justice may come, it cannot replace the light that was lost.
