Update (February 9, 2021): The Iberia Parish Sheriff’s Office in Louisiana has arrested Janet Irvin in connection to the death of 15-year-old Quawan “Bobby” Charles and said more arrests may be made as the investigation remains open.

The woman faces charges related to the delinquency of a minor and negligence to report a missing child, local news station KLFY reported.

On Monday, the coroner’s office released Charles’ full autopsy, which suggested the teenager may have had a psychotic episode and committed suicide by drowning himself.

The legal team for the Charles family argued that it doesn’t make sense for the teen to kill himself in such a manner.

“You read it. They say suicide by drowning, although they happen, they are rare. You add that to the fact that he allegedly drowned in a half a foot of water, two feet of water, it kind of makes the idea that he killed himself in that manner not plausible,” attorney Ron Haley said.

An October autopsy report said Charles was allegedly consuming drugs, including marijuana and psilocybin mushrooms, at Irvin’s home.

The woman told investigators that Charles was incapacitated for a while after smoking a substance and was aggressive when he resumed consciousness. Irvin told them Charles then said he was going to kill himself and vacated her home.

It was Charles’ last statement to Irvin, which made them conclude he was likely suicidal, according to KLFY.

“When he mentions that suicide is a possibility, we have to question that two ways. One… Where is he getting that information from? Likely he’s getting that information from the same family that he was with when he disappeared, and that has to come into question,” Haley said. “The veracity of what that statement or who that statement was made by and the circumstances on which they made it.”

Despite low levels of THC and alcohol in his system, the coroner’s office still concluded that it was possible for Charles to experience hallucinations and psychosis.

On Tuesday, local activist organization Stand Black called for Irvin’s arrest as a move towards bringing the teen’s family justice.

“Today is a starting point, but this is a marathon and not a sprint. Now we must mobilize to change laws that protect against these sorts of atrocities. We must pass legislation that protects children, and laws that reform police accountability. Our organization, and the Charles family, is committed to putting forth a package of legislation that protects children, our community, and our state,” Jamal Taylor, the co-founder of Stand Black, wrote.

Original (November 16, 2020): The case of Quawan "Bobby" Charles, a Black teenager who was found dead in a Louisiana sugar cane field earlier this month, is being investigated as a homicide. Iberia Parish Sheriff Tommy Romero made the announcement in a statement posted to the department's Facebook page on Saturday.

"Just as we do in any case involving someone found deceased in this manner, we immediately began treating this as a homicide investigation at the very moment we found Quawan 'Bobby' Charles," Romero's statement read. "This is an active, ongoing homicide investigation."

Romero said authorities have been speaking to witnesses and reviewing footage from the area where the body was found, which showed the teenager by himself.

"Video evidence indicates no other individuals present with Quawan 'Bobby' Charles or anyone else present for some time before, or after, he is seen on the recording," Romero continued.

Charles' family became increasingly frustrated with the police after filing a missing person report on Oct. 30. The family noted a negligent reaction to the report and "lack of empathy" in the investigation, People reported. After desperately urging for help from the community and spreading their story through the media, the family heard from the police on Nov. 3.

#QuawanCharles was 15.

His disfigured body was found near Baldwin, Louisiana four days after he went missing. His family, who wants an independent autopsy, says police refused to issue an Amber Alert and officials told them he likely drowned.

What happened, @AGJeffLandry? pic.twitter.com/ATyPACNPmo

— Be A King (@BerniceKing) November 15, 2020

That's when investigators revealed that Charles was found dead in a sugar cane field near the village of Loreauville, about 25 miles away from his home.

"Every local media outlet that I spoke with, that covers the Iberia Parish area, said that they did not even know a child was missing, let alone killed until the family put them on notice," the family's attorney, Ron Haley, told People.

Romero alleged his department was not notified about a missing person until Nov. 3.

"On Nov. 3, with amazing speed and through the great work of the team at the Iberia Parish Sheriff’s office, we were able to locate Quawan 'Bobby' Charles within a matter of hours after being notified he might be missing," the sheriff said. "Since the time we launched a homicide investigation, we have been actively and aggressively gathering evidence."

The sheriff’s office didn't provide many details in the case until Saturday, The Washington Post reported.

“Although we believe it is important not to compromise any part of our investigation, we are prepared to release some details so that the public can be assured we are not resting in our effort to find the truth,” the statement continued.

In a preliminary autopsy report, investigators said the boy was found with muddy water in his airways and hyperinflated lungs, leading them to believe the cause of death was “likely drowning.” The autopsy also stated that Charles didn't have injuries before his death and the disfiguration of his face was probably caused by “aquatic animals” while he was in the water.

Quawan’s cousin, Celina Charles, described the explanation as “bogus.”

“His face says different,” Celina told The Post, noting the graphic photo which has circulated on the internet.

According to People, the 15-year-old boy was at his father's home on Oct. 30 before he went missing. The family said Charles' 17-year-old friend and the friend's mother, who are both white, showed up to the home on that day while the teen's father was out shopping. The two boys and the woman then left together, according to the family.

Charles' father, Kenneth Jacko, said the family isn't familiar with Gavin and Janet Irvin, the mother and son who left with Quawan, but the two came to the home anyway and took the boy without the family's permission, The Post reported. Four days after his son went missing, Jacko joined officers to go question the Irvins. Gavin confirmed the details to the father, saying the boys spent time together that day, but that Charles left alone.

“[Gavin] said Quawan got up and said he was leaving. [Gavin] asked about where Quawan was going, and after that, he disappeared,” Jacko said.

The family said they have not heard from the Irvins since that conversation and police haven't named any suspects in the case.

“I want the lady who came to get my son without my permission, his dad’s permission, to be held accountable,” Quawan’s mother, Roxanne Nelson, said during a vigil for her son. “She took them to her house. He was alive and well when he was here, and now he is dead.”

Haley said police suggested that the boy might have gone to a football game. They also questioned whether he had a troubled past and failed to narrow the search area until three days later when they pinged his phone.

"A child was taken from, or last taken from, his parents' home without permission, and they report it to the police, and that's somehow not priority No. 1," Haley told People. "That's mind-boggling to me."

The family and the community suspect that race may have played a factor in the investigation.

“Systemic racism and bias is not just pulling someone over on the highway, or the police shooting them while unarmed,” Haley continued. “It goes deeper; it’s a lack of empathy.”

Jamal Taylor, who helped organize a protest to demand justice for Charles, said the situation would have been a lot different for himself if he was suspected of taking a white teenager.

"I assure [you] if Jamal Taylor picked up a 15-year-old white child, and she turned up dead, I don’t think I’d even make it to the courthouse," the social justice advocate told KLFY.

The boy who was nicknamed Bobby is remembered as a quiet boy who loved animals and the outdoors.

“He was growing up and talking to me and stuff. Father-to-son stuff,” Jacko said.

Iberia-Parish

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