COLUMBUS, Ohio — The Columbus Division of Police released body camera video on Friday, revealing new insight into the investigation that led to the discovery of the body of 8-year-old Martonio Wilder.
The video begins around 12:45 p.m. on Friday, June 28, as an officer meets an emotional LaShanda Wilder outside her home on Olmstead Avenue.
The officer asks, “So, what’s going on?”
Most of LaShanda’s responses to the officer have been redacted and her face has been blurred, but she can be heard wailing throughout the video as the officer works to gain information on where the boy could be.
“Do you mind if I go check inside the house? Ok let’s go in the house together,” the officer said.
In the video, LaShanda says to the officer that she had not seen her son since 9:30 p.m. when the family went to bed the night before, and he was gone when she woke up.
LaShanda tells the officer the back door was left open overnight.
“Mom got up about 11:48 a.m., noticed that the back door was open and he's run away three times before so if we can have units circulate some parks and areas around here we're going to go ahead and search the house,” the officer said on the bodycam video.
“I want my baby,” LaShanda can be heard saying in the background as the officer looked through the backyard.
LaShanda told the officer Martonio had run away three times in the past.
“Why do you think he's running away?” the officer asked.
LaShanda’s answer is redacted, but the officer can be heard repeating her answers on his radio, ”He's a little unruly and there is a case worker and she's like he probably got mad because she doesn't give him what he wants so and he kind of has a habit of doing this I guess.”
The officer asked LaShanda’s girlfriend, Johnna Lowe, if she knew where he could be. Lowe would later be charged along with Wilder for obstructing justice after they left during the investigation.
Police began going door to door asking neighbors if they had seen the boy. Eventually, cadaver dogs were brought in and Martonio’s body was discovered in the home's attic.
LaShanda and Lowe turned themselves in to police the next day. Both women are expected back in court on Tuesday.
Martonio’s family is now trying to raise money to hold a funeral.