Cion Carroll: Family seeks answers as missing teen son found shot dead after police ignored signs of danger
LUNENBURG COUNTY, VIRGINIA: The grief-stricken family of a missing 17-year-old Virginia boy is pleading for justice after his dismembered body was found buried in a shallow grave. Cion Carroll’s remains were found in Lunenburg County on November 12, just 10 days after he was reported missing by his mother.
Cion was last seen on November 2 at his grandparents' house in Kenbridge. His family said they suspect something was amiss after he didn't answer his mobile phone, which he always kept with him. Tiffany Baker, Cion’s mother, said they immediately contacted the Kenbridge Police Department but they weren’t responsive. "I notified them on the second day that my son had to be in danger," Tiffany told the Sun. "They gave me different scenarios on what probably happened, but as his mother, I knew that those scenarios weren't true."
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The department’s ignorance forced Carroll’s family to search for him without any help. "The family had to conduct their own independent searches, investigations, and contact news outlets to bring awareness to everyone," a GoFundMe page created by the family stated. Tiffany noted that at the time the only information they had was that Cion’s iPhone pinged his last location at a home off Poor House Road in Lunenburg County. She claimed the police ignored their lead and didn’t search the property. “Nothing was done about that. No search warrant, no anything.” She told Sun. “They actually made us leave from off of the property.”
Ten days later, the family's worst fears were confirmed. State Police announced that the remains retrieved from a shallow grave on November 11 have been recognized as Cion's. They also noted that the dismembered body was found on a property in the 200 block of Seay Way, which is not very far from Poor House Road, the Sun reported. The police are currently investigating Cion’s death as a homicide. "He had two gunshot wounds, one to his head and one to his back which hit his spine," the teen's mother said she learned from the Richmond County Medical Examiner's Office. "He was then dismembered, and lye was poured on him along with cement, and then he was buried."
The devastated family revealed that they have received very little information about the status of the case. Cion’s grandfather Junius Carter said, "I just can’t figure out why they’ve had no suspects, and they haven’t reached out to give us an update. We need some answers.” The grandfather said their fear will deepen until someone comes forward with information that might lead to an arrest. “It’s going to happen to some other kid because they think they can get away with it,” Carter said. “But I’m going to say this. We ain’t going to give up, and you ain’t going to sweep this under the rug, so if you know something, say something. Please.”
Tiffany said the family feels as if they’ve been purposefully left in the dark. “My soul is just gone. I can’t sleep, I can’t eat, I just lay there and think about my son. I just wanted something different for him. I just wanted him to have a better life to pursue his dreams."