Who are Kenyatta Odom's parents? Details explored as Georgia mom arrested decades after 5-year-old girl found dead

A 5-year-old girl who was found dead in 1988, was finally identified as Kenyatta Odom, as announced on Monday. Meanwhile, her 56-year-old mother, Evelyn Odom was taken into custody on Thursday, along with her then live-in boyfriend, Ulyster Sanders, 61. In 1988, the child's death was determined as a homicide, however, the cause of death wasn't known.

Trigger warning: The article contains references to a minor's death. Readers' discretion is advised.

CBSNews said that although Ulyster and Evelyn were dating during the time Kenyatta Odom was found dead, their current relationship couldn't be confirmed. A possible motive has not been revealed yet.

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Evelyn Odom and her then-live-in boyfriend have been taken into custody for allegedly killing Kenyatta Odom

The course of events can be traced back to December 21, 1988, that is shortly before Christmas. Authorities found the body of a female child in an illegal dump site near Millwood, Georgia, in Ware County. The identity of the child couldn't be confirmed, and she came to be known as "Baby Jane Doe." CBSNews confirmed that earlier this year, the victim was identified as Kenyatta Odom.

Authorities revealed the conditions under which Odom's remains were found. She was stuffed in a duffel bag after being wrapped in a blanket. The bag was then put inside a TV cabinet which was later covered in concrete. Georgia Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge Jason Seacrist spoke about the matter in a press conference. He said,

"Baby Jane Doe is no longer unnamed, is no longer unknown, the baby that was thrown out into a trash pile has been identified and we're working to bring justice to her."

Baby Jane Doe's identity was confirmed in June 2023, but it wasn't made public until recently, on Monday during the news conference. Police are now trying to locate the identity of the victim's father.

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DNA technology helped authorities discover that the victim had some connection to Albany, Georgia

For a long time, cops had no clue about Kenyatta Odom's identity. She didn't match with any other missing children who had been mentioned in local newspapers at that time. Authorities eventually got a lead that brought them to believe that she had some connection with Albany. In 2019, after looking into the genome sequencing of the victim, authorities discovered a possible family tree in a city in Georgia.

Jason Seacrist spoke about the usage of DNA technology in the investigation, and said,

"The forensic technology has changed. It has changed the investigative landscape. In 1988, I don't even know that DNA was on anybody's mind."

After news reports aired in 2022, on the girl's death anniversary, a tipster contacted the authorities. This led to the final identification of "Baby Jane Doe." Seacrist spoke about the tipster, and said,

"She knew that there had been a child that had gone missing and that her mother said the child had gone to live with her father. This person never really believed that story."

No information regarding the tipster's identity has been revealed to the public.