Mother sought for questioning after suspicious death of her child, Columbus police say

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WSYX) — Police are searching for a mother after officers found her child’s body in her home after she reported him missing.

Martonio Wilder was last seen Thursday evening. Columbus Police Chief Elaine Bryant said Lashanda Delores Wilder, 32, called police to her home near Olmstead Avenue and St. Clair Avenue around noon the next day to report him missing.

According to Bryant, Wilder told officers that the child had disappeared before. Police later found what was believed to be a corpse in the house.

“We are treating this as a suspicious death and a crime has been committed,” Chief Bryant said.

At 9:07 p.m., an AMBER alert was issued for Lashanda and two of her other children. King Wilder, 3, and Mikhael Simon, 9, were found safe and sound at a friend’s family member’s home at around 9:29 p.m., but police were unable to locate Lashanda.

She is described as being 1.70 m tall and weighing 100 kg and is wearing a red hat, a black T-shirt, black trousers and red slippers.

Deputy Chief Smith Weir said she was not being named as a suspect, but they wanted to speak to her.

As far as Bryant knows, Wilder has custody of all three children.

Anyone with information can call Columbus Police at 614-645-2338.