A grand jury in Florida has handed up a first-degree murder indictment against a mother whose 5-year-old son was found dead in a trash bag last month. Jalynda Karie Smith, 36, is now facing charges of First Degree Murder and Tampering with Evidence following the March 26, 2026, ruling.
The investigation began on February 6, 2026, when the boy’s body was discovered along the waterline of Perdido Bay off Lillian Highway. According to investigative reports, the child—later identified as Jakaiden Smith—was found wrapped in blankets and towels inside a black trash bag.
At the time of his death, the child weighed only 20 pounds, which is approximately one-third less than his recorded weight just two months prior. Medical examiners described the boy as “severely emaciated” and “malnourished.”…