Pammy Maye, suspect in killing of 5-year-old foster son, remains in Cuyahoga County jail
The woman accused of killing her 5-year-old foster son and dumping his body in a sewage drain remains in a northeast Ohio jail.
Pammy Maye, 48, is currently in the Cuyahoga County Corrections Center. She may have an extradition hearing before returning to Franklin County to face charges in the death of 5-year-old Darnell Taylor, which prompted a statewide Amber Alert.
Cuyahoga County jail officials said Maye was booked into the facility on charges of murder, kidnapping and endangering children.
Related article on Pammy Maye : Missing 5-year-old Darnell Taylor found dead; Pammy Maye faces murder charge
Maye previously charged with kidnapping and endangering
Franklin County Municipal Court records show Maye was previously charged with kidnapping and endangering children, the same charges filed before police located Darnell's body.
A murder charge was not visible on the court's website as of 10 a.m. Tuesday.
On Feb. 14, Maye's husband called 911 and told dispatchers Maye had told him she had killed their foster son. During the 911 call, according to court records, Maye held her hand over her husband's mouth and said she "had a plan."
Maye then fled in a Jeep, which investigators found about an hour after an Amber Alert was issued in a Cleveland suburb. Neither Maye nor Darnell was in the vehicle.
Maye was found the next evening wandering around the same suburb. Police said Maye told them where Darnell's body was.
Around 1 a.m. Friday, investigators found Darnell's body in that location Maye described — a sewage drain on the 1000 block of Marsdale Avenue, police said.
The Franklin County Coroner's office is conducting an autopsy to determine Darnell's cause of death.
The 911 call made by Maye's husband is not the first time he has called with concerns about his wife.
Related article: 'We believe the child is in danger.' Amber Alert issued for missing Columbus 5-year-old
What happened?
On Oct. 30, Maye's husband called the police because his wife had not returned home for more than two hours. She was expected back, and her phone was going straight to voicemail.
Columbus police were initially headed to take a missing persons report from Maye's husband, but the incident was closed without police making a report, according to records provided to The Dispatch. The lack of a report indicates Maye was located.
There is no indication of any issues involving Darnell in the 911 call Maye's husband made in October or in the records provided to The Dispatch.
Franklin County Children Services said Darnell came into the Mayes' custody in May 2023. Between that time and Feb. 14, the Mayes received legal custodianship of the 5-year-old.
It has not been made clear why Darnell was in the custody of Children Services.
@bethany_bruner
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Suspect in death of 5-year-old Ohio boy remains in Cuyahoga County jail
