Baby Bones Victim Identified, 3 Charged in NJ for Covering up Abused Child's Death

NJ police have identified the skeletal remains of the "Baby Bones" victim as those belonging to Jon-Niece Jones, a nine-year-old New York City Girl who had been objectified to years of abuse. The "Baby Bones" victim had been part of an ongoing 2005 case involving the skeletal remains (a jaw and skull bone) of a child which were discovered lying in tall grass by a hunter. Police have charged three NJ individuals in the case, including Jones' own aunt and uncle.

According to Acting Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher Gramiccioni, within the last two months, police received a tip that led authorities to identify the "Baby Bones" victim Jon-Niece Jones. The ongoing investigation found that 9-year-old Jones died at her aunt Likisha Jones' Harlem home on Aug. 15. Prosecutors allege that the young Jones had experienced years of abuse and neglect at the hands of her mother, Elisha Jones.

Authorities claim that Elisha along with Jones' uncle James Jones and Likisha's boyfriend, Godfrey Gibson, disposed of the child's body in Upper Freehold Township after setting it on fire. Jone's remains were found in 2005, and police used DNA to finally identify the recovered skull and jaw bone. Elisha Jones died four months later of natural causes.

Likisha Jones (39), James Jones (35), and Godfrey Gibson (48) have been charged in the case with hindering apprehension, tampering with evidence and obstruction of justice. They were arrested that their NYC homes on Tuesday. They are currently being held at the county jail in Freehold pending a hearing.

"The family members of Jon-Niece Jones turned a blind eye to the constant physical and mental abuse this girl endured for years," said superintendent of the New Jersey State Police Col. Rick Fuentes. "Because of the hard work by investigators, these three suspects will now have to answer for their alleged unthinkable actions."

The "Baby Bones" case got attention in 2009 when detectives appeared on the TV show "America's Most Wanted" seeking help to solve the case.