Kansas Mom and Her Boyfriend Charged with Murder of 3-Year-Old Boy Found Encased in Concrete
A Kansas mother and her live-in boyfriend have been charged with child abuse and felony murder after her son’s remains were found encased in concrete in September.
Miranda Miller, 36, and Stephen Bodine, 40 have been charged with murdering three-year-old Evan Brewer.
Evan’s body was found by a landlord who was cleaning the home after evicting the couple in September. According to a police report, the landlord noticed a strange odor coming from a concrete structure. He contacted police, who discovered the remains that were later identified as Evan.
The boy had last been seen in July.
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Miller had custody of her son. The boy’s father, Carlo Brewer, contacted police about the welfare of his son before his death. He filed a petition for protection from abuse.
According to the petition, Carlo Brewer detailed multiple reports of alleged abuse made to the Kansas Department of Children and Families. (PEOPLE has confirmed the four complaints.) One complaint alleged that Evan was “filthy and without appropriate clothing.”
Miller and Bodine are being held without bond. Court documents do not list an attorney for either defendant. They have not yet entered a plea.
Evan was the grandson of Kansas gubernatorial candidate Carl Brewer.
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“I am grateful to the men and women who worked to investigate Evan’s death and those who will prosecute the case,” Carl Brewer said in a statement on Twitter. “We have hope the trial will bring justice for Evan and begin healing for our family.”
In a statement issued on Tuesday, Brewer family spokeswoman Shayla Johnson thanked authorities for their work on the case.
“Our family sincerely appreciates the efforts of our Homicide Unit to piece together the difficult investigation into Evan’s death,” the statement reads. “Please understand our silence during the remainder of this holiday season as they prepare for a funeral and a Christmas without Evan.”
Bodine was in jail on unrelated charges of aggravated assault. Miller was in jail on charges of interference with parental custody. It wasn’t immediately clear whether they had retained attorneys or entered pleas to the pre-existing charges.
