MOHAVE COUNTY, Ariz. — A mother and father who initially reported their teenage son as a runaway to police have allegedly admitted that they actually dumped his dead body near Kingman.
Amber-Leah Valentine, 41, and Jon Imes, 41, told the Mohave County Sheriff's Office on Feb. 25 that their 16-year-old son had run away from home.
Three days later, human remains wrapped in a blanket were discovered near Anson Smith and Indian Canyon roads. The deceased person's identity was not known at that time, MCSO said.
Deputies got another call on March 2 from the missing boy's parents about a separate issue involving their 14-year-old daughter.
The mother told MCSO the girl had apparently been held captive by their roommate, 34-year-old Richard Pounds of Kingman.
The mother and daughter were taken to the hospital, where Valentine allegedly confessed to disposing of her son's body at the location where the human remains were found on Feb. 28. She allegedly said the boy was already dead when the missing person's report was made.
The father also allegedly admitted to lying to MCSO and helping to dump the teen's body, MCSO said.
An autopsy was conducted on the boy's body over the weekend and its results are pending.
The 14-year-old told MCSO that abuse had been occurring at the family's home and accused the roommate of shooting her with a BB gun.
Pounds was taken into custody on suspicion of child abuse. Valentine and Imes were arrested on suspicion of concealing a dead body. MCSO said more criminal charges are pending.
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