Missing 4-Year-Old Boy Found Deceased; Father Arrested on Separate Charges

The body of Johnathan Everett Boley, a 4-year-old boy reported missing in Alabama on New Year’s Eve, was found Friday afternoon, authorities confirmed during a press conference. The child was located approximately two miles from his father’s home in a wooded, rural area near Jasper, Alabama.

Johnathan was a pre-kindergarten student at HOLA Elementary at Manatee School for the Arts in Palmetto. Under a custody agreement, his father was granted five days of limited visitation per year.

Walker County Sheriff Nick Smith said the child was found deceased. Johnathan had last been seen around 11:30 a.m. Wednesday near Highway 195. The Walker County Sheriff’s Office received the missing child report about an hour later, prompting a large-scale search involving multiple agencies.

According to investigators, Johnathan was reported to have been with his 6-year-old brother and the family dog at the time he disappeared. His brother later identified the last location where he saw Johnathan. When the child’s body was discovered on Friday, the dog was found with him and was still alive.

Court records show that Johnathan’s father, Jameson Kyle Boley, has been arrested on an explosives-related charge and has also been charged with two counts of chemical endangerment of a child. Authorities emphasized that the explosives-related arrest is separate from the investigation into Johnathan’s death.

During the search for the missing child, law enforcement discovered explosive devices on the father’s property. Officials said the devices had to be safely addressed before a full search warrant could be executed. The father, who was described as a former member of the military, was taken into custody after the discovery. Investigators have not determined why explosive materials were present at the home.

Sheriff Smith said neighbors had reported hearing explosions in the area for several weeks, including one reported around 4 a.m. on the morning Johnathan was reported missing. Authorities stated there is no confirmed connection between those reports and the child’s disappearance.

Johnathan’s parents are separated. His mother relocated to Florida last year and traveled to Alabama on Wednesday evening after learning her son was missing. She is cooperating fully with investigators. The FBI interviewed the father on Wednesday as part of the ongoing investigation.

Authorities have not yet released the cause of death, and the investigation remains ongoing.