Mom of boy found dead in suitcase taken into custody after 2-year manhunt

The mother of a 5-year-old boy found dead in a suitcase in Indiana has been taken into custody in California in connection with his death, authorities announced.

On April 16, 2022, the little boy's body was found in a brightly colored suitcase with a Las Vegas design in a rural area of Washington County, Indiana, authorities said.

Six months later, the boy was identified as Cairo Jordan of Atlanta. Police said he was 5 years old when he died.

Police announced in October 2022 that an arrest warrant was issued for Cairo's mother, Dejaune Anderson, for murder, neglect of a dependent resulting in death and obstruction of justice.

Earlier this week, a detective "received information from a concerned citizen ... which started the path to physically locate Dejaune Anderson," Indiana State Police Sgt. Carey Huls said at a news conference Friday.

Anderson was apprehended Thursday night in Arcadia, California, near Los Angeles, Huls said. She is being held at an LAPD detention center, he said.

Huls called Anderson's arrest a "huge milestone" in the case.

A second suspect, Dawn Coleman, was arrested in October 2022 for neglect of a dependent resulting in death and obstruction of justice, authorities said.

Authorities alleged Coleman helped Cairo's mother dispose of the boy's body, according to The Associated Press.

Coleman pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit murder and was sentenced to 30 years in prison in November 2023 with five years suspended to probation, the AP said.

There are no outstanding suspects, Huls said Friday.

Cairo died roughly a week or less before his body was found, and an autopsy determined he died from vomiting and diarrhea that triggered dehydration, police said, according to the AP.

Huls praised the residents of Washington County, who he said came together to honor Cairo.

"Provided him with a funeral, with a headstone," he said. "There's still flowers to this day that are placed on his gravesite -- people praying for him and his family and that justice would be done."