Police Identify 2-Year-Old Whose Body Was Found In Napa County

NAPA COUNTY, CA — A 2-year-old whose body was recovered Dec. 23 from Napa County was identified Thursday by Oakland police as Ja'mari Madkins.

Oakland police Chief LeRonne Armstrong in a news conference about the homicide investigation called it a tragic event for the family and the community and said investigators worked tirelessly to follow leads and locate the child's body the same day in Napa County.

Oakland police were notified Dec. 23 by San Pablo police of a possible homicide involving a child in Oakland. That same day, Armstrong said, Oakland homicide investigators were taken to a location in Napa County where the boy's body was recovered.

Armstrong declined to give an exact location in Napa County but said the child's body was recovered outdoors.

A suspect in the case who has a close connection to the boy's family remained in custody on unrelated charges while police worked with the Alameda County District Attorney's Office on charges related to the homicide, Armstrong said.

According to a friend who created a GoFundMe campaign for Ja'mari's funeral costs, the 2-year-old and his mother lived with the boy's grandmother, Maria.

"Ja'mari's smile and infectious laugh brought so much joy to his family and everyone who knew him," campaign organizer Vanessa Sands wrote. "Maria, Ja'mari's grandmother is always there for her family, friends, coworkers and strangers, she now needs our help. We; her Friends and co-workers with the help of the community are hoping to help alleviate some of the financial stress placed upon this grandmother and family while they are mourning and still trying to process what has happened."

As of Friday, the campaign had raised nearly $4,000 in donations.