UPDATE: Thursday, Nov. 7 at 1 p.m.
50-year-old Taletha D. Tucker has been charged with additional charges in connection to the death of 8-month-old Miya Rudd, Kentucky State Police reports.
Following an investigation, Tucker, who was given custody of Tesla Tucker's children, including Rudd, had violated a Department of Community Based Services court order prior to the investigation.
A hair follicle taken from two of three children positive for methamphetamine and cannabis.
"It is believed Taletha Tucker permitted the children to stay with Tesla Tucker in Reynolds Station which violated the order and came in contact with the substances," KSP said in a release.
Investigation also revealed that Taletha Tucker provided a large sum of money to both Tesla Tucker and Rudd's father, Cage Rudd, "in an effort to avoid apprehension from law enforcement at the beginning of this investigation."
Tucker has been charged with first degree criminal abuse of a child under 12, controlled substance endangerment to a child, and first degree hindering prosecution or apprehension.
UPDATE: Friday, June 14, at 3:39 p.m.
Kentucky State Police says detectives located infant remains Friday around 1:15 p.m., consistent with Miya Rudd.
They say the body was located inside a residence in a concealed manner.
The body will be transported to the State Medical Examiner's Office for an autopsy.
UPDATE: Sunday, June 9 at 10:51 p.m.
Kentucky State Police say when entering the driveway of the Smiths' residence, they observed 37-year-old Timothy L. Roach throw unprescribed Suboxone under his vehicle.
Roach was arrested along with Smith and taken to the Ohio County Detention Center.
He is charged with second-degree possession of a controlled substance and first-degree prescription controlled substance not in proper container.
UPDATE: Sunday, June 9 at 9:33 p.m.
Kentucky State Police say they served and arrested 49-year-old Billie J. (Rudd) Smith, who is the grandmother of Miya Rudd. KSP says Smith is from Reynolds Station and was served an Assault Second Degree - Domestic Violence warrant.
Kentucky State Police say the warrant Smith was served stemmed from an incident in Daviess County in October 2023. Troopers were performing a search and welfare check for the missing eight-month-old when they found that Smith had an active warrant.
KSP did not find Miya Rudd with Smith. Smith is being held at the Ohio County Detention Center in Hartford. She has a $25,000 cash bond.
UPDATE: Sunday, June 9 at 8:18 p.m.
Kentucky State Police say Telsa Tucker, Cage Rudd, and Ricky Smith will appear in Ohio County District Court in Hartford on Monday at 9:00 a.m. CT.
KSP is asking anyone with additional information about the missing eight-month-old, Miya Rudd, to contact KSP Post 16 at 270-826-3312.
UPDATE: Friday, June 7 at 9:19 p.m.
The Kentucky State Police announced that additional charges have been filed against the parents of missing Miya (Tucker) Rudd, and an additional arrest has been made in relation to the case.
All of the charges against Tesla Tucker are engaging in organized crime, first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance (methamphetamine greater than two grams), trafficking of ledgend drugs, trafficking marijuana, first-degree child abuse, possession of paraphernalia and abandonment of a minor.
Charges against Rudd are now engaging in organized crime, first-degree trafficking in controlled substance (methamphetamine greater than two grams), trafficking of ledgend drugs, trafficking marijuana, first-degree child abuse, abandonment of a minor, and possession of paraphernalia.
The KSP say that 56-year-old Ricky J. Smith from Reynolds Station has also been charged with engaging in organized crime, possession of a handgun by a convicted felon, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, persistent felon offender I, first-degree trafficking in controlled substance (methamphetamine greater than two grams) trafficking of ledgend drugs, first-degree child abuse, and abandonment of a minor.
An investigation is ongoing, and the KSP is asking anyone who might have information on Miya’s whereabouts to call 270-826-3312.
Original Story:
The Kentucky State Police announced on Thursday they are searching for a missing 8-month-old child in Ohio County.
According to a release, KSP opened a missing child investigation following a search warrant and welfare check regarding 8-month-old Miya Tucker from Reynolds Station.
KSP says that Miya Tucker was last believed to be in the care of her parents, 29-year-old Tesla Tucker and 30-year-old Cage C. Rudd, but could not be located during a welfare check.
The release describes Miya as having brown hair and green eyes.
Tesla Tucker and Rudd have both been arrested.
Tesla was charged with abandonment of a minor, first-degree possession of a controlled substance (fentanyl), and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Rudd was also charged with abandonment of a minor along with first-degree possession of a controlled substance (fentanyl), first-degree possession of a controlled substance (methamphetamine), and possession of drug paraphernalia.
According to KSP, both were booked at the Daviess County Detention Center.
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