Child's Remains Found In IL Woods As Dad, Woman Face Charges And Internal Affairs Investigation Begins

ST. LOUIS, MO — More than two years after a young boy went missing, his father and a woman are facing parental kidnapping charges after a child's remains were found in a wooded area in Illinois.

According to police in Desloge, Missouri, remains were discovered Wednesday in Stookey Township, in St. Clair County, Illinois, near the Missouri border.

The discovery came nearly two years after the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department said Ronnell Jones Jr.'s mother reported in July 2024 that she hadn't seen her child since his father drove away with him in the car in April of that year.

According to KSDK "5 On Your Side," the mother, Miranda Randazzo, who calls her son "Prince," said she had tried for years to get police to investigate her child's disappearance.

"They just would not take me serious," she told the outlet, saying police told her that because she and the father were still legally married and had no custody order in place, it was a civil matter.

Desloge police say that nearly two years after Randazzo reported her son missing, on June 12, their officers began investigating a report of parental kidnapping after the young child's mother said she had not seen her child in more than a year.

A search warrant was issued, and on July 8, Desloge police said investigators discovered the remains of what they believe is a small child while searching a wooded area in Stookey Township, Illinois.

As of Friday afternoon, the St. Clair County Coroner's Office had not positively identified the remains. A cause of death has also not been relaeased.

After a warrant was issued for parental kidnapping and harassment, the missing boy's father, 32-year-old Ronnell Marquese Jones of St. Louis, was arrested on June 30. A St. Louis woman, also 32, named Kirstie Dora was also arrested on the same charges on July 2. Both are being held without bond, Desloge police said.

Father Claimed He Gave Toddler To Amish: SLMPD

On Thursday, the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department released a timeline of the case.

SLMPD said evidence appears to show that Prince disappeared "before law enforcement became involved."

According to police, Prince's mother said in July 2024 that she had last seen the child with his father two months earlier. At the time, police said, she told officials that Jones Sr. drove away when she confronted him after noticing that the toddler was missing teeth.

According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol missing children database, the last contact with Prince was in April 2024. Though police do not give his age, the highway patrol said he was 2 when he went missing.

Police said detectives interviewed "numerous" people to determine Prince's whereabouts and tried to verify "multiple and often conflicting" statements made by both the mother and father.

The father claimed Prince was "living with an Amish community in Mississippi and stated he had recently seen the child," according to police.

SLMPD said detectives identified a person of interest in the child's disappearance and in early 2025 requested parental kidnapping charges be filed by the St. Louis Circuit Attorney's Office, but "additional investigative work was requested before charging decisions were made."

Desloge police became involved in June 2026 after Randazzo filed another police report, officials said.

"Since that report, the SLMPD has worked alongside the Desloge Police Department and multiple local, state, and federal law enforcement partners, efforts which ultimately led to the heartbreaking discovery of the child’s remains in Stookey Township," police said in a statement.

Internal Affairs Investigation Begins

In a statement, St. Louis Metropolitan police said:

"We recognize the concerns that have been raised by the child’s mother and understand the grief, frustration, and unanswered questions she is experiencing. No parent should ever endure this kind of uncertainty. We also recognize that our community expects answers, transparency, and accountability throughout this process.

Because of those questions, the SLMPD has launched an Internal Affairs investigation to conduct a comprehensive review of the Juvenile Division’s 2024 response and investigative actions related to this matter. That review will examine what occurred, determine whether department policies and expectations were met, and ensure accountability where any corrective action is needed."

The SLMPD holds itself to the highest professional standards, particularly when the safety and well-being of children are involved. Protecting our community’s most vulnerable members is among our most important responsibilities, and we recognize that the public expects every report involving a child to receive the attention, urgency, and thoroughness it deserves.

This child deserves answers. The family deserves accountability. Our community deserves transparency. We owe it to this child, the family, and our community to carefully examine every aspect of this case. If our review identifies areas where we can improve, we will take the necessary steps to strengthen our response and better protect our community’s most vulnerable members.

Desloge police said "anyone with information is encouraged to contact the Desloge Police Department, St. Clair, Illinois County Sheriff’s Department, or the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department."

Meanwhile, SLMPD said those with information should contact the SLMPD Homicide Division directly at (314) 444-5371. Anonymous tips can also be submitted through St. Louis CrimeStoppers at (866) 371-TIPS.