OH BRAYLEN NOBLE: Missing from Toledo, OH - 4 Sept 2020 - Age 3 Found Deceased

SheWhoMustNotBeNamed · Sep 6, 2021

South Toledo toddler's death remains unsolved one year later

Sep. 4—One year ago hundreds of people began a desperate search for a little boy reported missing from an apartment complex in South Toledo. Local authorities and volunteers, some who drove long distances to help, spent five brutally hot, muggy days searching for 3-year-old Braylen Noble, who...

www.yahoo.com

South Toledo toddler's death remains unsolved one year later

One year ago hundreds of people began a desperate search for a little boy reported missing from an apartment complex in South Toledo.

Local authorities and volunteers, some who drove long distances to help, spent five brutally hot, muggy days searching for 3-year-old Braylen Noble, who was autistic and nonverbal, after he was reported missing Sept. 4, 2020, from the Hunter's Ridge Apartments on Gibraltar Heights Drive. They navigated dangerous terrain thick with underbrush in and around around Swan Creek.

Toledo police have since provided no public updates about the investigation. No arrests have been made, and the community has struggled with unanswered questions.

Officer Andrew Dlugosielski, a TPD spokesman, said the case "has had a devastating impact on everyone." He added that more information about the case will be forthcoming but could not say when.

"This case has never taken a back seat to any other case," he said. "Residents can rest assured that detectives have never stopped investigating this case. They have and continue to pour countless hours every day to bring Braylen justice. No amount of shootings or homicides have ever derailed the attention paid to this case."

When investigations drag on with little information released, it can be painful for the community to wait patiently.

"It's very difficult for the community to comprehend what happened," Mr. Bischoff said. "We don't know what information law enforcement has, and they can't release everything. What we can do these days is let law enforcement do their job, let them work this as best they can with the details and the information they have at their fingertips."

SheWhoMustNotBeNamed · Oct 29, 2021

Trial for mother, grandmother of Braylen Noble pushed to June 7; both face charges relating to toddler's death

Dajnae Cox, Braylen's mother, and Bobbie Johnson, his grandmother, face charges of obstructing justice. Cox is additionally charged with child endangerment.

www.wtol.com

Mother, grandmother of Braylen Noble indicted on charges relating to toddler's death

The mother and grandmother of Toledo toddler Braylen Noble have been indicted in the investigation into the 3-year-old's death.

Dajnae Cox, Braylen's mother, and Bobbie Johnson, his grandmother, face felony charges of obstructing justice. Cox is additionally charged with felony child endangerment.

Toledo police held a brief news conference Friday morning regarding the case. Lt. Dan Gerken said certain evidence was sent away for outside review, including a 911 call, which contributed to charges being filed more than a year after the child's body was found.

"We also met with the prosecutor's office numerous times and they thoroughly reviewed our case," Gerken said. "That took quite a bit of time and I appreciate it to make sure we were doing what was right and taking the case where the evidence led us."

Gerken also addressed why more serious charges have not been filed.

"People who are clamoring for stiffer charges - this is what the evidence led us to," he said. "Part of the issue is the cause of death is still undermined from the coroner's office. That's part of the evidence that led us to the charges."

Both women are now charged in the investigation into his death. Cox and Johnson are innocent until proven guilty. They are not in custody.

But neighbors say they hope justice is served for Braylen and people don't forget.

Police reveal few details about charges in Braylen Noble death

Toledo police revealed few new details Friday about charges filed Thursday against the mother and grandmother of Braylen Noble, a 3-year-old whose body was ...

www.toledoblade.com

Police reveal few details about charges in Braylen Noble death

Toledo police revealed few new details Friday about charges filed Thursday against the mother and grandmother of Braylen Noble, a 3-year-old whose body was found in an apartment-complex swimming pool after a multiday search in September, 2020.

“I want to remind everyone that the indictments just came down so there’s not going to be a whole lot of information that [Lt. Dan Gerken] is going to be able to give you,” Toledo police Chief George Kral said during a news conference at police headquarters.

Dajnae Cox, Braylen’s mother, and Bobbie Johnson, his grandmother, were indicted on charges of obstructing justice and endangering children related to the toddler’s death.

“As far as the indictments go and the charges, that’s going to be based on the evidence. I think people are clamoring for stiffer penalties or stiffer charges. I’m going to tell you this is what the evidence leads us to,” Lieutenant Gerken said.

Kim Sorter, of Maumee, organized hundreds of volunteers throughout a search for Braylen near the South Toledo apartments where he lived. She said Friday she remained heartbroken over the toddler’s death and was frustrated by the charges leveled against Ms. Cox and Ms. Johnson.

“I feel like this was a slap in the face ... I feel like people are getting away with murder, and it really upsets me,” she said.

Jeffrey Holloway, Braylen Noble’s grandfather, said Friday the family is opting to let prosecutors handle the case from here.

“We’re going to let the court system work it out,” he said.

Lieutenant Gerken noted it is rare for police to talk openly about an indicted case. They made an exception because of prevailing community interest in Braylen’s death.

“I would love investigations to be over five minutes after a case starts ... but that’s not how it works, and we have to be thorough, and we have to do the right things, and we have to rely on people to help us process evidence and review cases. Unfortunately it does take longer than it should sometimes,” Lieutenant Gerken said, acknowledging that community members have expressed discontent on social media about the 14 months it took the department to bring charges.

No arraignment date had been set as of Friday morning and a judge had not yet assigned to the case. A summons to appear in court will be issued to Ms. Cox and Ms. Johnson to appear in Lucas County Common Pleas Court at that time.

SheWhoMustNotBeNamed · Oct 29, 2021

@GrandmaBear - I think you have alerts turned on for this case but I wanted to make sure you saw.

I hope this is not the end of charges. But it sounds like it might be.

GrandmaBear · Oct 29, 2021

SheWhoMustNotBeNamed said:
@GrandmaBear - I think you have alerts turned on for this case but I wanted to make sure you saw.

I hope this is not the end of charges. But it sounds like it might be.

I am just now seeing this. Just popped in.

While i would rather see murder charges, my heart is warmed as I would bet yours is that they did not just close this case out and were always working it behind the scenes. We could never understand could we how this could just be kind of closed out and no further word, and it certainly seemed to be!

I would much rather see stiffer charges BUT it is something and they are facing something. I don't like that they are not in custody but again, it's a start.

One never knows, maybe more will come... Maybe in time cause of death, maybe more technology to determine that, MAYBE a slip or info from someone who knows more...

I realize they are not convicted/guilty yet BUT this case was so bothersome... Tonight, it is odd, I just watched a video about the Houston children with the dead sibling in an apartment and they mentioned a child falling out of a third story window at an apartment complex... It brought Braylen to mind, just a few hours ago... Hadn't thought of it in awhile... How odd is that...

I would rather see stiffer charges BUT they are doing what they can and I get that... I truly thought this entire case was being swept under the rug and forgotten. I can't even imagine how the community has felt all of this time or the ones that truly loved the child because watching it from afar was awful.

Thank you for notifying me!!!

GrandmaBear · Oct 30, 2021

Oh and no one will ever convince me this child was in the pool when he first went missing but he was eventually found there... They searched it, they waded it, neighbors were around it, searchers were... Nope, no way. This child/body was moved at some point.

GrandmaBear · Oct 30, 2021

When I heard the news tonight, I went in and told my mom about this case... She is into crimes but not the way I follow them the past years. I had to give her kind of the back story of what we watched with the search and the initial things last year, etc. and tell her how it was one that I thought was over and very unhappy that I felt they let go/swept under the rug/ignored, whatever... These aren't the most serious charges but I was so happy to hear this news tonight and know that LE and prosecutors WERE hard at work and did not close it out. She asked me when they couldn't determine cause of death if they at least could determine whether he drowned of course. as they should be able to....

I'll get her into this stuff yet

She does TV like Forensic files and stuff but I have turned her onto some other things...

RIP Braylen, you may get some justice here on earth.

GrandmaBear · Oct 30, 2021

And in thinking of all cases but some that really took my heart big time, hearing news on Serenity Dennard and Amiah Robertson one day would be big too. All would be but those are a couple of others that really took my heart. I used to try to check and bump every so often but life has me not having done that in some time... So many missing/unsolved dating way back and nowadays as well.

SheWhoMustNotBeNamed · Nov 17, 2021

Mother, grandmother plead not guilty to charges stemming from Braylen Noble’s death

Dajnae Cox and Bobbie Johnson were booked and released on their own recognizance.

www.13abc.com

Mother, grandmother plead not guilty to charges stemming from Braylen Noble’s death

The mother and grandmother of Braylen Noble pleaded not guilty on Tuesday to charges stemming from the Toledo toddler’s death.

Dajnae Cox, Braylen’s mother, is facing child endangerment and obstruction of justice charges. Bobbie Johnson, Braylen’s grandmother, is facing obstruction of justice charges. Both pleaded not guilty on Tuesday. They were booked and released on their own recognizance.

Cox is represented by Ronnie Wingate and Johnson is represented by Kurt Bruderly. Both attorneys argued their clients have no criminal history.

A trial date has been set for Dec. 21.

SheWhoMustNotBeNamed · Dec 22, 2021

Defense requests more time to review evidence in Braylen Noble case

Defense attorneys for the mother and grandmother of Braylen Noble, a 3-year-old boy whose body was found in a neighborhood swimming pool last year, said ...

www.toledoblade.com

Defense requests more time to review evidence in Braylen Noble case

Defense attorneys for the mother and grandmother of Braylen Noble, a 3-year-old boy whose body was found in a neighborhood swimming pool last year, said Tuesday they needed more time to review the evidence provided by the state before they are ready to go to trial.

Dajnae Cox, of the 1600 block of Eleanor Avenue, and Bobbie Johnson, of the unit block of Dickens Drive, are accused of obstructing the police investigation into their son and grandson’s death. Ms. Cox faces an additional charge of endangering children.

On Nov. 16, Judge Ian B. English of Lucas County Common Pleas Court scheduled a trial, but that has been postponed, as the defense begins review of an estimated 400 to 500 written pages of material in addition to several 132-gigabyte drives, many of which contain screenshots from cell phones.

“It is not only substantial but voluminous,” defense attorney Kurt Bruderly said.

Mr. Bruderly, who represents Ms. Johnson, requested 60 to 90 days to comb through the discovery and discuss the state’s findings with his client.

Judge English granted that request. Ms. Johnson and Ms. Cox, who is represented by defense attorney Ronnie Wingate, will next appear in court on Feb. 22.

Ms. Cox and Ms. Johnson have pleaded not guilty to the accusations against them, while authorities remain tightlipped about any details from the case.

The women were released on a recognizance bond after their initial appearance in Lucas County Common Pleas Court.

GrandmaBear · Dec 23, 2021

No surprise it was granted. Aren't they always for the defense?

Voluminous evidence. I'd really like to know what they did and said with relation to the obstruction charges and it sounds like there is plenty of evidence...

I hope even though I don't count on it they are hard at work trying to come up with murder, neglect or abuse charges.

Regina · Feb 2, 2022

I don't remember ever having read "submersion in water" stated as cause, and it strikes me as very peculiar.
Other than that, if the body appeared consistent with having been submerged for 5 days, then to me that shows that it must have been in that pool from day one.

Guess Who · Feb 2, 2022

Regina said:
I don't remember ever having read "submersion in water" stated as cause, and it strikes me as very peculiar.
Other than that, if the body appeared consistent with having been submerged for 5 days, then to me that shows that it must have been in that pool from day one.

There have been plenty of incidences where people have drowned in a very cloudy pool and not been found for a few days even after a "thorough" search. Water can appear to be cleanish, but have so many particulants in it that you can't see even an inch through it. My small above ground pool has a design on the inside that looks like a one inch grid pattern. We watch how the inches increase as we filter it.

GrandmaBear · Feb 2, 2022

Regina said:
I don't remember ever having read "submersion in water" stated as cause, and it strikes me as very peculiar.
Other than that, if the body appeared consistent with having been submerged for 5 days, then to me that shows that it must have been in that pool from day one.

Is that what is said? It has been awhile. I thought they came back with he had drowned which left people feeling they meant in the pool where he wasn't/hadn't been. This almost makes it sound like they are leaving it open that he could have been held down, submerged and possibly not in that pool, etc. rather than "accidental" drowning.

While I get @Guess Who s remark, and know it can be the case in some cases, we all went round and round about that back a ways on this thread. I disagree in this case because with all of the other facts and information, I don't believe he was there at first. They had if I recall, divers in the pool, divers walking the pool, etc. and others as well and many people by it over the days and I think even residents looking. The story of how he went missing was clearly bull too. And then there were other things as well. This pool was cleared and more than once if I recall. This case remained a focus with many, not just on here, because most don't believe it imo and because of not believing autopsy was taking so long and due to no arrests and more. Then the autopsy didn't satisfy.

There were other things too but they are vague and I can't remember if they came from news sources or social media and people who live(d) at the complex. I remember it sounding like relatives or a brother or a few of this family had apartments there... They can't just search any apartment without permission. There was talk of the mother I think being out at night in the woods surrounding or a relative when they shouldn't have been, I think going off during a search away from the others as well or something... I seem to recall speculation on the body had been moved I think BEFORE he was even found in the pool he searched. This paragraph here don't take as "gospel" as it is just to the best of my recollection and I'm not sure on this stuff but the former paragraphs I am pretty sure I recall correctly.

Hopefully these hearings and the charges, etc. will bring some of those answers of what LE did know that we didn't of what was going on, was lies, etc. and how they think he got there...

SheWhoMustNotBeNamed · Feb 2, 2022

As a refresher...Statement from the coroner:

Braylen Noble autopsy rules manner of death 'undetermined' with 'submersion in water' as contributing cause

The manner of death ruling is based on circumstances and nothing conclusive found at autopsy. The 3-year-old boy who had autism was missing and found in September.

www.wtol.com

"The death of 3-year-old Braylen Noble has been ruled as 'No anatomic or toxicologic cause of death' with the contributing cause 'Submersion in water.' The manner of death is undetermined. This ruling reflects the circumstances of the death and also that nothing conclusive was found at the autopsy. Death was pronounced on 9/9/20 at 1:20 pm. at 3415 Gibraltar Heights Dr., Toledo."

The report says there was no physical evidence of trauma seen, including no skull fractures or hemorrhaging in the eyes. There was evidence of brain swelling and water in both lungs, and his left ventricle was dilated.

He appeared to be a healthily-nourished 3-year-old boy and he ate pineapple chunks as one of his last meals.

_______________________________________________
Also, a definition of a "contributing" cause of death. In other words, it may have contributed to, but was not the direct cause of his death.

A contributory cause of death is any cause of death that is neither the immediate, intervening, originating antecedent nor underlying cause; hence these are other significant conditions that contributed to the fatal outcome, but were not related to the disease or condition directly causing death.

Here is a lot more info if anyone is interested in the details: https://www.co.shasta.ca.us/docs/li...fessionals/FillingOutDC.pdf?sfvrsn=92721b9c_0 and https://www.clarkcountyohio.gov/DocumentCenter/View/227/Cause-and-Manner-of-Death?bidId=

Long story short, the coroner does NOT believe that Braylen's immediate cause of death was drowning / submersion in water. Or, I guess I should say, even if they DO believe it was drowning/submersion, they were unable to find anything in the autopsy to support that. Water CAN still enter the lungs of a person who ended up in water after their death. Water also very commonly enters the stomach of a drowning victim (not mentioned in Braylen's case, at least in the released results). I would be interested in reading the full autopsy report (but can almost guarantee that it has not been released, as the investigation is still ongoing).

GrandmaBear · Feb 2, 2022

SheWhoMustNotBeNamed said:
As a refresher...Statement from the coroner:

Braylen Noble autopsy rules manner of death 'undetermined' with 'submersion in water' as contributing cause

The manner of death ruling is based on circumstances and nothing conclusive found at autopsy. The 3-year-old boy who had autism was missing and found in September.

www.wtol.com

"The death of 3-year-old Braylen Noble has been ruled as 'No anatomic or toxicologic cause of death' with the contributing cause 'Submersion in water.' The manner of death is undetermined. This ruling reflects the circumstances of the death and also that nothing conclusive was found at the autopsy. Death was pronounced on 9/9/20 at 1:20 pm. at 3415 Gibraltar Heights Dr., Toledo."

The report says there was no physical evidence of trauma seen, including no skull fractures or hemorrhaging in the eyes. There was evidence of brain swelling and water in both lungs, and his left ventricle was dilated.

He appeared to be a healthily-nourished 3-year-old boy and he ate pineapple chunks as one of his last meals.

Also, a definition of a "contributing" cause of death. In other words, it may have contributed to, but was not the direct cause of his death.

A contributory cause of death is any cause of death that is neither the immediate, intervening, originating antecedent nor underlying cause; hence these are other significant conditions that contributed to the fatal outcome, but were not related to the disease or condition directly causing death.

Here is a lot more info if anyone is interested in the details: https://www.co.shasta.ca.us/docs/li...fessionals/FillingOutDC.pdf?sfvrsn=92721b9c_0 and https://www.clarkcountyohio.gov/DocumentCenter/View/227/Cause-and-Manner-of-Death?bidId=

Long story short, the coroner does NOT believe that Braylen's immediate cause of death was drowning / submersion in water. Or, I guess I should say, even if they DO believe it was drowning/submersion, they were unable to find anything in the autopsy to support that. Water CAN still enter the lungs of a person who ended up in water after their death. Water also very commonly enters the stomach of a drowning victim (not mentioned in Braylen's case, at least in the released results). I would be interested in reading the full autopsy report (but can almost guarantee that it has not been released, as the investigation is still ongoing).

That's really interesting. I don't remember all this... Not sure if I missed it or it came out later and I missed it or if it is my memory but I think this would have left an impact on me.

I don't believe he drowned in that pool. And while this does not prove it either way, it seems to fit with all of the things that seem to indicate he wasn't in it.

Regina · Feb 3, 2022

Guess Who said:
There have been plenty of incidences where people have drowned in a very cloudy pool and not been found for a few days even after a "thorough" search. Water can appear to be cleanish, but have so many particulants in it that you can't see even an inch through it. My small above ground pool has a design on the inside that looks like a one inch grid pattern. We watch how the inches increase as we filter it.

Lol!
You're right, the body would definitely not have been visible, and to my knowledge, if he drowned, the bottom of the pool is precisely where it's expected his body would be.

GrandmaBear · Feb 3, 2022

Regina said:
Lol!
You're right, the body would definitely not have been visible, and to my knowledge, if he drowned, the bottom of the pool is precisely where it's expected his body would be.

The pool had been searched by divers. It was also locked. He was found nearly a week later floating face down. There is a lot of reason in this case to question his being found in the pool at that late date. These are but a few. I also assume the divers were looking under the water and it was why they were brought in for a small pool, it seemed odd to me at the time.

Guess Who · Feb 3, 2022

GrandmaBear said:
The pool had been searched by divers. It was also locked. He was found nearly a week later floating face down. There is a lot of reason in this case to question his being found in the pool at that late date. These are but a few. I also assume the divers were looking under the water and it was why they were brought in for a small pool, it seemed odd to me at the time.

All of those questions would have been answered if they would have simply drained the pool. I can't understand why that wasn't done. It wasn't functioning so there was absolutely no good reason not to.

Regina · Feb 3, 2022

GrandmaBear said:
Is that what is said? It has been awhile. I thought they came back with he had drowned which left people feeling they meant in the pool where he wasn't/hadn't been. This almost makes it sound like they are leaving it open that he could have been held down, submerged and possibly not in that pool, etc. rather than "accidental" drowning.

Exactly, I'm bothered that it comes across as bias...
Since the coroner's office was undecided, I'm curious to know whether they subsequently sought outside consultation because if they didn't, then I think they certainly should have, and I'd wonder why they didn't.

GrandmaBear said:
They had if I recall, divers in the pool, divers walking the pool, etc. and others as well and many people by it over the days and I think even residents looking. The story of how he went missing was clearly bull too. And then there were other things as well. This pool was cleared and more than once if I recall.

All I've been able to ascertain about the search of the pool is that it was searched that first day, and then after the discovery/recovery, LE stated that they had gone back to search it again.

Regina · Feb 3, 2022

GrandmaBear said:
The pool had been searched by divers. It was also locked. He was found nearly a week later floating face down.

I don't know whether there would have been access on that Friday.

OH BRAYLEN NOBLE: Missing from Toledo, OH - 4 Sept 2020 - Age 3 *Found Deceased*

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South Toledo toddler's death remains unsolved one year later​

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Mother, grandmother of Braylen Noble indicted on charges relating to toddler's death​

Police reveal few details about charges in Braylen Noble death​

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Mother, grandmother plead not guilty to charges stemming from Braylen Noble’s death​

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Defense requests more time to review evidence in Braylen Noble case​

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OH BRAYLEN NOBLE: Missing from Toledo, OH - 4 Sept 2020 - Age 3 Found Deceased

South Toledo toddler's death remains unsolved one year later

Mother, grandmother of Braylen Noble indicted on charges relating to toddler's death

Police reveal few details about charges in Braylen Noble death

Mother, grandmother plead not guilty to charges stemming from Braylen Noble’s death

Defense requests more time to review evidence in Braylen Noble case