Account
Sep 23, 2020
Sep 19, 2022
TYSON
JONES
10
3
36 inches
44 inches
30 lbs
40 lbs
White / Caucasian
Male
In the spring of 2017, a three-year-old boy named Tyson Jones vanished from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, though the full gravity of his absence would not be understood for several years. Tyson, a child described by his family as happy and good-natured, with big, wide eyes and a love for smiling, was last definitively seen in the care of his mother, Kristi Gardner, around May 10, 2017. Born on August 5, 2013, Tyson had already experienced significant loss in his young life; his father, Tyshan Jones, had passed away in 2015. For the first couple of years of his life, he lived with his mother and maternal grandmother, Diane Gardner, and was remembered as a joyful child who loved Mickey Mouse, Ninja Turtles, and playing at the park. In 2017, Kristi and Tyson moved out of the family home to live with a friend, which marked the last time extended family members reported having physical contact with the little boy. Following their move, communication between Kristi and her family became sporadic, consisting mainly of text messages and online chats. Whenever his maternal grandmother would inquire about Tyson, Kristi would offer various explanations for his whereabouts. This period of limited contact and vague information continued for about three years. The situation took a devastating turn in September 2020. In the days leading up to a tragic discovery, both Tyson's maternal grandmother and his paternal aunt had been actively trying to locate him. Their concern escalated, and on September 4, 2020, Kristi Gardner was officially reported missing. The very next day, she was found deceased, having taken her own life. Tyson was nowhere to be found. The discovery of Kristi's death without her son immediately triggered a formal investigation into Tyson's whereabouts, and he was officially reported as a missing person. Investigators and his heartbroken families were left to piece together a timeline that stretched back years, to the last confirmed sightings in May of 2017. Tyson, a biracial child of Black and White descent, may have a birthmark on his right shoulder blade. Due to the deeply troubling circumstances surrounding his mother's death and the extended period without any verifiable contact, his case is considered to be one of danger. The lack of information and the years that have passed have created a complex and heart-wrenching mystery, leaving two families desperate for answers and the public to wonder what happened to the little boy who loved to run and smile. The case remains an active and unsolved investigation, a poignant overview of a child who disappeared from view long before the world knew to look for him.
May 10, 2017
Philadelphia
Pennsylvania
Philadelphia County
No
91124
Philadelphia Police Department
Philadelphia
Pennsylvania
Philadelphia County
19125
Stephanie Rosenbaum
Police Officer
300 East Hunting Park Avenue, Pennsylvania
2156863093
Local
Law Enforcement
20-08-027367
2020-09-09
Philadelphia Police Department
8313
Black
Brown
Brown
No
05/25/2026
