Authorities in Burleson, Texas, have arrested a mother and stepfather after their son with special needs was found buried in a shallow grave behind their home.
On Tuesday, October 14, 2025, officers from the Burleson Police Department responded to a welfare check at 433 White Oak Lane.
The check was for Jonathan Kinman, a 26-year-old man who had Russell-Silver Syndrome, a rare genetic disorder that can affect growth and development.
Kinman lived at the home with his mother, December Marie Mitchell, and stepfather, Jonathan James Mitchell.
During the welfare check, police said they received troubling information suggesting that Jonathan might be dead and buried in the backyard, as per PEOPLE.
The next day, October 15, officers returned to the home with help from the Texas Rangers, and around 9 p.m., investigators discovered a shallow grave near a shed behind the house.
Inside, they found Jonathan’s body wrapped in a camouflage blanket. His remains were sent to the Tarrant County Medical Examiner’s Office, where an autopsy was performed on October 16, 2025.
However, the results of the autopsy are still pending, and the cause of death has not yet been determined.
Addtionally, the police has confirmed that both parents were taken into custody on charges of tampering or fabricating physical evidence with intent to impair a human corpse.
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| December Marie Mitchell |
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| Jonathan James Mitchell |
According to a search warrant affidavit obtained by WFAA, the case began to unravel after the couple posted about Jonathan’s death online. That post caught the attention of someone close to the family, who then contacted authorities about the situation.
After detectives interviewed Mitchell, they said her story didn’t add up. She told authorities that Jonathan had died at a hospital, but the police later discovered that no hospital in the area had any record of his death.
“[December] said that he was taken to Huguley Hospital and pronounced [dead] there, and we followed up on that, and that was not correct,” said the police.
As officers and cadaver dogs searched the home, Kinman’s mother was placed in the back of the patrol car.
According to police reports, body camera footage reportedly captured Kinman telling her husband, “The dog was going to find him on me … it was all me … that dog was going to find him.”
New York Post also reported that December allegedly told her had neighbor that she had buried her son in the backyard, and that neighbor then threatened to report the incident, before the discovery was made.
Both December and Jonathan Mitchell were later booked into the Johnson County Jail, each held on a $250,000 bond.
Court documents show that investigators have requested access to the couple’s Facebook accounts from Meta, including posts, messages, and deleted content made between October 1 and October 15.
Authorities believe social media activity could provide crucial evidence about what happened in the days leading up to Jonathan’s death.
Neighbors who lived near the Mitchells said they were stunned by the discovery, and many told police they rarely, if ever, saw Jonathan outside.
“Never saw him go in the house or out of the house. Never ever saw the child,” said neighbor Betty Noyola, who has been their neighbour for two years.
Jonathan’s biological family also released a heartbreaking statement through his uncle, Jamie Kinman.
“We were horrified to hear the news about our precious Jonathan. This is a living nightmare for the Kinman family. Please know that we are in full cooperation with law enforcement, and we will fight for every last ounce of truth and justice to come to light for the sake of our sweet boy,” said Jamie Kinman.
The investigation remains open, with detectives awaiting final autopsy results and digital evidence from the couple’s online accounts.
Also, authorities are urging anyone with information about the case to contact the Burleson Police Department.
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