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 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.
Their search ended in heartbreak five days later when the boy's body was recovered Sept. 9 from a pool at the apartment complex that had been searched at least twice before by officials and an unknown number of times by volunteers. The pool is surrounded by a fence, and the gate had to be unlocked by property management to let search crews inside that day.
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.
"An investigator will never rush in an investigation so as to bring it to a close more quickly," Officer Dlugosielski said. "Each and every detective, regardless the case, is going to take their time and see their cases are investigated properly."
Jeffrey Holloway, Braylen's paternal grandfather, said the family has not received updates from investigators either.
"We're waiting on everybody," he said.
Officer Dlugosielski said each case and circumstances is unique and challenging in its own way. Detectives must be meticulous and thorough in collecting information and evidence to obtain probable cause for charges.
"Detectives always want to make sure they have everything in order before they make an arrest," the officer said. "They want to leave no stone unturned, no lead not fully investigated, no potential witness or detail to be overlooked. The more precise and particular they are, the stronger the case will be."
Braylen reportedly vanished from a third-floor apartment shared by his mother, Dajnae Cox, and grandmother Bobbie Johnson whose only outdoors exit was through a window. An autopsy by the Lucas County Coroner's Office after he was found showed no signs of injury or trauma, and only very early signs of decomposition.
Dr. Cynthia Beisser, a deputy coroner, said in a March statement that no anatomic or toxicologic cause of death was found. A contributing cause was submersion in water, but "the manner of death is undetermined. This ruling reflects the circumstances of the death and also that nothing conclusive was found at autopsy."
With an ongoing spike in homicides and shootings across the city, some residents have wondered if the increased demand on TPD's detectives has taken their attention away from seeking justice for Braylen. Officer Dlugosielski said it hasn't.
"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."
John Bischoff, vice president of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, said cases involving missing children can be very challenging to investigate.
"It is a very difficult road for law enforcement," he said. "They have the outcome, they have the beginning of the story, but piecing together the middle of what happened is an extremely difficult road."
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."
He cautioned people from spreading their own theories on social media or latching onto ones posted by others, which can cause more pain for the child's family and the community at large.
"Social media is a catalyst for rumors and the spread of misinformation," Mr. Bischoff said.
Anyone with information about the case is urged to contact Crime Stopper at 419-255-1111. Tipsters can remain anonymous and may be eligible for a cash reward.
First Published September 3, 2021, 11:00am
