On May 15, Aiden Scott Bevins was found buried in his backyard. The father has now been arrested on suspicion of murder.
ABERDEEN, Wash. — The father of 4-year-old Aiden Bevins told police he previously buried his son under their Aberdeen home. his arrestbased on a statement of probable cause.
A year after Aiden went missing, he was found in a handbag inside a trash bag. A pediatrician who is an expert in child abuse ruled that Aiden’s injuries appeared to be the result of blunt force trauma.
Jacob Bevins, 36, told police Aiden was hit in the head and died. However, a pediatrician who is an expert in child abuse reviewed the preliminary findings of Aiden’s death and found that they were inconsistent with the father’s account.
After his Miranda warning was read, Bevins changed his story, according to the statement of probable cause. He said he was chasing Aiden when he ran to the bathroom and Aiden slipped and hit his head.
Bevans was arrested on suspicion of second-degree murder, first-degree manslaughter, unlawful disposal of human remains and making false statements. He has not yet been formally charged.
A probable cause hearing is scheduled for Friday afternoon.
Charges are expected to be filed Monday.
Aberdeen police said they responded to a missing child complaint on May 12 involving the suspect’s 6-year-old daughter. Police determined the child was with her mother and the matter was a custody matter rather than a criminal matter.
Relatives told KING 5 they requested a welfare check after not seeing Aiden for a long time. Aberdeen police said they inquired about Aiden’s whereabouts and his father initially said the child was living with a relative out of state. Detectives contacted the relative, who said the child was never in their care.
On May 15, Aberdeen police and investigators with the Washington State Patrol Crime Scene Response Team discovered the child’s body buried on property owned by his grandmother, where relatives said she and Aiden’s father had lived.
A couple who say they adopted Aiden told KING 5 they expressed concerns about Aiden being reunited with his biological parents, but no action was taken. Gary and Magali Lopez said they cared for Aiden from age 1 to 3.
“The things we’ve been afraid of since he left…our fears,” Gary said.
When Aiden visited his birth parents, the couple said he would be dirty when he came back. They said they were worried he wasn’t eating enough and was being put in dangerous situations.
The couple said they contacted Child Protective Services multiple times, but Aiden was still placed back with his biological parents.
Magali said they continually raised concerns and pointed out red flags to appropriate agencies, including his social worker and their foster care agency. When he was returned to his biological parents, they contacted the Department of Children, Youth and Families at least three times, she said. They also messaged and called his biological parents.
The man is being held at the Aberdeen City Jail before being transferred to the Grays Harbor County Jail.
“I can’t explain to you how angry I am,” Magali Lopez told KING 5 on Thursday. “Everyone failed him.”
