Father of missing Tennessee boy with autism accused of killing him, hiding body

Credit: Tennessee Bureau of Investigation

Credit: Tennessee Bureau of Investigation

The search for a missing Tennessee boy with autism has come to a heartbreaking end.

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Multiple law enforcement agencies had been searching for Joe Clyde Daniels, 5, of Dickson County, for three days.

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On Saturday, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation held a news conference to announce that the boy's father, Joseph Ray Daniels, 28, had been arrested in connection with the death of his son.

Officials said the father killed the boy and hid the body several days ago.

In an official statement, the TBI said the following:

"Joe Clyde Daniels was reported missing by his parents the morning of Wednesday, April 4th. At the request of the Dickson County Sheriff’s Office, the TBI issued an Endangered Child Alert, and law enforcement agencies, search and rescue organizations, and citizen volunteers began an exhaustive search in the area of his residence. On April 6th, at the request of 23rd District Attorney General Ray Crouch, TBI Agents opened an investigation into criminal conduct. During the course of the investigation, and after a three-day search, it was determined that the child’s father, Joseph Daniels, intentionally killed his son sometime during the night of April 3-4, in their residence and then hid his son’s body."

Joseph Ray Daniels is currently being held on $1 million bond and is charged with criminal homicide.

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