A Kentucky community is grappling with a child-death investigation that has now led to two arrests. Jeff Barnett, the step-grandfather of 11-month-old Grayson Walton, has been charged with tampering with physical evidence in connection with the infant’s death. Barnett lived at the Cleaton home on Hillview Street where the boy’s body was found, and police took him into custody at a gas station in Graham on an outstanding warrant.
The case began on September 12, when Central City police responded to a disturbance call on Harrison Avenue. Officers spoke with Grayson’s father, who said the baby was supposed to be in the care of Elijah Mayes while he worked. Mayes told police a friend picked up Walton on September 11, but that friend denied it, and a family member said the last time they saw Grayson was Friday. Mayes now faces charges including murder, first-degree criminal abuse, tampering with physical evidence, abuse of a corpse, and methamphetamine possession. Investigators also found suspected meth during searches of a home and a car.
The investigation is ongoing, and both men are entitled to their day in court as the legal process moves forward. For now, the case raises difficult questions about child care, accountability, and how a small community moves forward after losing an infant.
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