Jessica and Daniel Groves were convicted of murdering their infant son Dylan Groves, and disposing his body at the bottom of a 30-foot well. His body was wrapped in plastic bags and duct tape, then placed in milk crates secured by chains, padlocks and zip ties. Dylan’s cause of death was determined as “homicidal violence”. The child had suffered multiple bone fractures and broken ribs. Methamphetamine and amphetamine were also found in his system. Jessica Groves was convicted on all 11 counts, including aggravated murder, murder, kidnapping, endangering children, tampering with evidence, interference with custody, gross abuse of a corpse, and felonious assault. She was sentenced to life without the possibility of parole plus 32 years. Daniel Groves, who faced the same charges, was acquitted of aggravated murder. He was found guilty of the other 10 counts, including murder. He was sentenced to 47 years in prison.
Daniel Droves Sr.. Autographed Letter, Signed. Handwritten, Commercial #10 (4.125 × 9.5 envelope). Toledo, OH. Pmk: January 3, 2024. Content unknown. SEALED.
PORTSMOUTH, Ohio (AP)– An Ohio jury has convicted a couple of multiple charges in the death of their infant son whose body was found in a well.
Jessica Groves, 39, of Otway in southern Ohio’s Scioto County, was sentenced late Friday to life in prison with no chance of parole in the death of 2-month-old Dylan Groves. A jury deliberated for several hours Friday afternoon before finding her guilty of aggravated murder, abuse of a corpse and other charges.
The child’s father, Daniel Groves, 41, was convicted of murder, abuse of a corpse and other charges but was acquitted of aggravated murder. A judge sentence him to life in prison with parole eligibility in 47 years.
Their attorneys said Saturday that appeals are planned. Both said they respected the jury’s decision.
Daniel Groves testified during cross-examination Friday that his wife aggressively picked up Dylan from his crib in late March. He said he saw her hit the child in the head multiple times. A coroner testified at trial that Dylan suffered skull fractures, broken ribs, a broken arm and a broken shin bone.
“The path of drug abuse led to this,” Jessica Groves’ attorney, Robert Stratton said in an interview. “That’s not an excuse, but the one defining change in her life was drug use. It’s why she went from a loving supportive mother of a 14-year-old to a convicted murderer of her second child.”
Scioto County Children Services took formal custody of Dylan after he tested positive for methamphetamine at birth in January 2019 and was then placed with his father. Jessica Groves, a former licensed practical nurse, was allowed to visit the family’s home but was not permitted to live there.
Dylan was killed in late March during a visit, Jessica Groves testified. The infant’s body was not found until June. That’s when Daniel Groves told authorities that he and his wife had placed the body in a makeshift coffin and left it in a well in a field across the road from a church camp in Otway, roughly 85 miles east of downtown Cincinnati.
Authorities opened an investigation after the couple missed a custody hearing, failed to show up for Dylan’s medical appointments and a county case worker was unable to make a home visit. State officials later determined that Scioto County Children Services mishandled Dylan’s case and didn’t follow required procedures
According to the Portsmouth Daily Times, Daniel Groves declined to give a statement before sentencing. Jessica Groves did, saying, “No matter what you do to me, I have to live with this every day for the rest of my life. I’m sorry. I have failed as a mother.”i
VIDEO: The Story of Jessica & Daniel Groves | https://youtu.be/DqI2M3Q8R0s
VIDEO: Mom admits to killing infant son in court, says she doesn't remember | COURT TV | https://youtu.be/OjJEZGAQZAI
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i Press, A. (2020) Ohio couple convicted in death of infant son found dead in well, Fox 8 Cleveland WJW. Fox 8 Cleveland WJW. Available at: https://fox8.com/news/ohio-couple-convicted-in-death-of-infant-son-found-dead-in-well/ (Accessed: 6 January 2024).