Ricky Smith, the grandfather of 8-month-old Miya Rudd and co-defendant in her murder case, made an appearance before the Ohio County District Court on Tuesday.
Smith along with Miya’s parents, Tesla Tucker and Cage Rudd, are facing murder charges as well as multiple counts of criminal child abuse after a welfare check turned into a missing child investigation by Kentucky State Police.
It all began on June 5, 2024, when a Kentucky State Police detective was notified about a missing child. Miya hadn’t been seen since the end of April and police had been attempting to contact her parents.
Officials were in the process of removing Miya from the home after her umbilical cord tested positive for methamphetamine shortly after her birth.
Tucker and Rudd were found in a motel in Owensboro soon after the investigation began, but both claimed they did not know where Miya was. They were arrested along with Smith.
A few days later Miya’s grandmother was arrested on an outstanding warrant, and on June 12 Miya’s paternal grandparents were also arrested.
On June 14, the decomposing body of baby Miya was discovered in a duffel bag hidden within the walls of her family home in Reynolds Station.
Her cause of death was undetermined according to the state medical examiner, but meth was found in her system.
Over seven people in Rudd’s family have been arrested and charged in relation to child abuse, illegal drugs, and her death among other offenses.
During his appearance, Smith was given his next court date which is on June 17.
Source: WBKO
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