When my son was young, I remember venturing to our local park in our relatively safe town and watching him like a hawk. Another mom sitting on the bench looked up at me and, in an attempt to break the ice, noted how closely I was watching him and jokingly teased me about being a “helicopter parent” in the making. I remember being a little taken aback by the commentary. Had she met a toddler? Those little buggers are fast and seemingly determined to put themselves in the most danger possible.
Recently, a 4-year-old boy from Florida named Johnathan “John John” Everett Boley was reported missing after he wandered away from his dad’s rural home in Jasper, Alabama, according to Fox News. Walker County Sheriff Nick Smith said during a new conference that the boy, who was visiting relatives for the holidays, was outside playing with his dog when he meandered off on New Year’s Day.
On January 2, 2026, the large search party canvasing the area discovered the boy’s body just 2 miles away from the home.
“This is not the outcome anyone hoped for,” Smith said, per Fox News. “Our hearts go out to this family and everyone who worked tirelessly to bring this child home.”
According to The Sun, Johnathan’s dog, Buck, was found by his side, alive, when the boy was found partially submerged in water. A preliminary examination did not show any signs of assault or trauma, but an autopsy was performed and the cause of death is still under investigation.
“We’ve got to work this thing all the way through to make sure it was just an accident or if there was more to the story,” Smith affirmed during a news conference. Viral Thread reported that an Amber Alert was not issued for Johnathan because of the “lack of evidence” that suggested he was abducted as is required by law.
During that news conference, authorities also announced that the boy’s father, Jameson Kyle Boley, was arrested while the search was being conducted. Officials claim he was charged with unlawful manufacture of a destructive device after investigators discovered “precursor materials” at his home, a felony charge under Alabama law.
“At this time, there is no evidence indicating foul play in the child’s death, and these charges should not be conflated with the search for Johnathan,” Smith said, per Fox News.
Jonathan’s mom, Angel Boley, who is separated from his father, lives in Florida. The parents have an arrangement in which Jameson sees his kids five days per year. Angel works at the DaySpring Camp & Conference Center in Parrish, run by the Episcopal Diocese of Southwest Florida, which shared a heartfelt post honoring Johnathan.
“We may never be able to make sense of this loss. Yet, we have confidence that God draws near to the brokenhearted, and we place our trust in God’s presence with us,” the diocese stated.
The diocese is also collecting monetary donations on behalf of the Boley family to help support the grieving family.
