Grandfather: Remains at compound are missing boy
Published August 09. 2018 01:53PM
NEW YORK (AP) — The grandfather of a missing Georgia boy says the remains of the child were found buried at a desert compound in New Mexico.
Abdul-ghani Wahhaj was found Monday — on what would have been his fourth birthday — after he went missing in December in Jonesboro, Georgia, near Atlanta.
The boy’s grandfather, Siraj Wahhaj, leads a New York City mosque and told reporters Thursday that he learned from other family members that the boy’s body was buried at the New Mexico compound after he died.
Authorities say the boy’s father, Siraj Ibn Wahhaj, had told his wife he wanted to perform an exorcism on the child and later said he was taking the child to a park and didn’t return.
The search for the boy led authorities to the New Mexico compound last week.
Imam Wahhaj says “whoever is responsible ... should be held accountable.”
Lucas Morton arrives in court to plead not guilty to child abuse charges in state district court in Taos, N.M., Wednesday, Aug. 8, 2018. Morton was arrested Friday in a raid on a disheveled living compound where authorities say they found five adults and 11 children living in filth and later recovered the remains of a small boy. Authorities are waiting to learn if the remains belong to a boy that went missing in Georgia in December. Authorities say another resident of the compound near the Colorado state line was conducting weapons training with assault rifles. (AP Photo/Morgan Lee)
Siraj Ibn Wahhaj, center, confers with one of his attorneys at a first appearance in New Mexico district court in Taos, N.M., on Wednesday, Aug. 8, 2018, on accusations of child abuse and abducting his son from the boy’s mother. Authorities were waiting to learn if human remains found at a disheveled living compound were those of Wahhaj’s missing son. Authorities also allege Wahhaj was conducting weapons training with assault rifles at the compound near the Colorado border where they say they found 11 hungry children living in filthy conditions in a raid Friday. (AP Photo/Morgan Lee)
Lucas Morton arrives in court to plead not guilty to child abuse charges in state district court in Taos, N.M., on Wednesday, Aug. 8, 2018. Morton was arrested Friday, Aug. 3, in a raid on a disheveled living compound where authorities say say they found five adults and 11 children living in filth and later recovered the remains of a small boy. Authorities say another resident of the compound near the Colorado state line was conducting weapons training with assault rifles. Authorities are waiting to learn if the remains belong to a boy that went missing in Georgia in December. (AP Photo/Morgan Lee)
Lucas Morton, center, pleads not guilty to child abuse charges in state district court in Taos, N.M., Wednesday, Aug. 8, 2018. Morton is accompanied by public defense attorneys, Greg Dawkins, left, and Aleks Kostich, right. Morton was arrested Friday, Aug. 3, in a raid on a disheveled living compound where authorities say say they found five adults and 11 children living in filth and later recovered the remains of a small boy. Authorities are waiting to learn if the remains belong to a boy that went missing from Georgia in December. Authorities say another resident of the compound near the Colorado state line was conducting weapons training with assault rifles. (AP Photo/Morgan Lee)
Jany Leveille makes her first appearance in New Mexico state district court to plead not guilty to charges of child abuse in Taos, N.M., Wednesday, Aug. 8, 2018. Leveille was arrested Friday, Aug,. 3, in a raid on a disheveled living compound where authorities say they found five adults and 11 children living in filth and later recovered the remains of a small boy. Authorities are waiting to learn if the remains belong to a boy that went missing in Georgia in December. Authorities say another resident of the compound near the Colorado state line was conducting weapons training with assault rifles. (AP Photo/Morgan Lee)
Subhannah Wahhaj appears in New Mexico state district court to plead not guilty to charges of child abuse in Taos, N.M., Wednesday, Aug. 8, 2018. Subhannah Wahhaj was arrested Friday, Aug. 3, in a raid on a disheveled living compound where authorities say they found five adults and 11 children living in filth and later recovered the remains of a small boy. Authorities are waiting to learn if the remains belong to a boy that went missing in Georgia in December. Authorities say another resident of the compound near the Colorado state line was conducting weapons training with assault rifles. (AP Photo/Morgan Lee)
Subhannah Wahhaj appears in New Mexico state district court to plead not guilty to charges of child abuse in Taos, N.M., Wednesday, Aug. 8, 2018, alongside public defense attorney Greg Dawkins, left. Subhannah Wahhaj was arrested Friday, Aug. 3, in a raid on a disheveled living compound where authorities say they found five adults and 11 children living in filth and later recovered the remains of a small boy. Authorities are waiting to learn if the remains belong to a boy that went missing in Georgia in December. Authorities say another resident of the compound near the Colorado state line was conducting weapons training with assault rifles. (AP Photo/Morgan Lee)
Hujrah Wahhaj appears in New Mexico state district court to plead not guilty to charges of child abuse in Taos, N.M., Wednesday, Aug. 8, 2018, alongside public defense attorney Aleks Kostich. Hujrah Wahhaj was arrested Friday in a raid on a disheveled living compound where authorities say they found five adults and 11 children living in filth and later recovered the remains of a small boy. Authorities are waiting to learn if the remains belong to a boy that went missing in Georgia in December. Authorities say another resident of the compound near the Colorado state line was conducting weapons training with assault rifles. (AP Photo/Morgan Lee)
Siraj Ibn Wahhaj, left, sits next to public defense attorney Aleks Kostich at a first appearance in New Mexico state district court in Taos, N.M., Wednesday, Aug. 8, 2018, on accusations of child abuse and abducting his son from the boy’s mother. Authorities were waiting to learn if human remains found at a disheveled living compound were those of Wahhaj’s missing son. Authorities also allege Wahhaj was conducting weapons training with assault rifles at the compound near the Colorado border where they say they found 11 hungry children living in filthy conditions in a raid Friday. (AP Photo/Morgan Lee)
Hujrah Wahhaj appears in New Mexico state district court to plead not guilty to charges of child abuse in Taos, N.M., on Wednesday, Aug. 8, 2018. She was arrested Friday, Aug. 3, in a raid on a disheveled living compound where authorities say they found five adults and 11 children living in filth and later recovered the remains of a small boy. Authorities are waiting to learn if the remains belong to a boy that went missing in Georgia in December. Authorities say another resident of the compound near the Colorado state line was conducting weapons training with assault rifles. (AP Photo/Morgan Lee)