Back in December, I mentioned the story of Jeremiah Oliver, a five-year-old boy from Fitchburg, Massachusetts who was last seen in September. However, no one knew he was missing until December 2, when his sister said that her mom's live-in boyfriend had been abusing her. But when authorities came to remove Jeremiah, his sister and their brother, Jeremiah was nowhere to be found. Now the mom and boyfriend are awaiting trial and three Department of Children and Families workers have been fired.
Well, this weekend saw this story take the worst possible turn. Yesterday, Worcester County officials confirmed that the body of a toddler found on Friday morning was indeed that of Jeremiah.
Worcester District Attorney Joseph D. Early Jr. confirmed Saturday afternoon that the body found Friday morning off of Interstate 190 southbound in Sterling is the missing Fitchburg 5-year-old, last seen by family in September.
"The autopsy report is not complete," Early spokesman Tim Connolly wrote in an email just after 4 p.m. Saturday. "No other information about the case will be released at this time. The investigation continues."
Jeremiah's body was found around 9 a.m. Friday in a wooded area 40 feet off of I-190 southbound in Sterling. At a Friday afternoon press conference, Early said the body was wrapped in a blanket and "packed inside a suitcase-like object," but would not elaborate on its condition.
The state Office of the Chief Medical Examiner performed the autopsy.
Jeremiah's mom, Elsa, and her boyfriend, Antonio Serra, have been in jail since December. They both pleaded not guilty in March to charges of kidnapping, assault and battery and reckless endangerment and are being held on $100,000 and $250,000 bail respectively. There's no word yet on whether they'll face additional charges now that it is confirmed that Jeremiah is dead. However, police have believed almost from the start that Sierra--
reportedly a member of the Latin Kings--killed Jeremiah.
Elsa Oliver was transferred to a mental health facility earlier this month, reportedly on the initiative of correctional authorities. That move raises doubts about a judge's earlier ruling that she is mentally competent to stand trial. Her lawyer, James Reardon, has said since this story began that he has found it difficult to have a meaningful conversation with her. Although authorities have said that Elsa was grossly derelict in taking care of her kids, I'm starting to wonder if we've got another Hedda Nussbaum situation here.
An independent review by the Child Welfare League recommended a number of reforms, including boosting staffing levels. Thus far, the only ones fired for this have been the Olivers' social worker, that worker's supervisor and the area program manager. Which is too bad, since an internal review revealed evidence of gross systemic dysfunction. Hopefully that will change now that we know that dysfunction likely resulted in a little boy being killed.