A 19-year-old babysitter is under arrest after a desperate search for a missing 11-month-old ends in a parent’s worst nightmare

A 19-year-old Kentucky man has been arrested and charged with murder after an 11-month-old boy he was supposed to be caring for was found dead inside a home. Elijah Mayes is facing a plethora of charges including first-degree criminal abuse, abuse of a corpse and possession of a controlled substance.

The child, Grayson Walton, was supposed to be in Mayes’ care while his father was at work, police said. Per WFLX, officers became involved after responding to a reported disturbance at a Central City home and began trying to establish where the infant had gone.

Mayes initially told officers that a family friend had picked Grayson up. Police located that person and were told she had not taken the baby, raising further questions about his whereabouts.

The babysitter’s story quickly fell apart

Investigators then received information from a relative who reported seeing Grayson with Mayes at a residence on Hillview Street in Cleaton. That information gave police another location to investigate as they worked to determine where the missing infant could be found.

Central City Police Chief Jason Lindsey said investigators knew of a possible location but did not know if Grayson was inside a residence or outside. “We didn’t know if it was inside a residence or outside,” Lindsey said, explaining why detectives obtained search warrants for the properties.

Police searched a residence and vehicle on Harrison Avenue before moving their investigation to the Hillview Street property. In a report by TheMirror, investigators reportedly found suspected methamphetamine at the first location.

The second search produced the discovery everyone involved in the search had been hoping to avoid. Grayson’s body was found inside the Cleaton residence.

Lindsey said investigators were working quickly because they still hoped the child could be found alive. “If we had a chance to find the child alive, that was the end goal,” the police chief said.

Mayes was taken to the Muhlenberg County Detention Center following his arrest for the alleged murder of the 11 month old boy. His charges include murder, first-degree criminal abuse, tampering with physical evidence, abuse of a corpse and possession of a controlled substance.

Multiple agencies assisted Central City police during the search, including Kentucky State Police, the FBI, Madisonville Police Department and several fire departments. Police said additional information could be released as investigators continue working the case.