UPDATE: Family confirms remains found at Daybell home are missing children

Jun 10, 2020, 8:47 AM | Updated: Apr 3, 2023, 6:04 pm

missing Idaho children Officials identify remains found at Daybell property as missing Rexburg chil...

FILE - This combination photo of undated file photos, released by National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, show missing children Joshua "JJ" Vallow, left, and Tylee Ryan. who have been missing since September 2019. (National Center for Missing & Exploited Children via AP, File)

(National Center for Missing & Exploited Children via AP, File)

BY COLBY WALKER AND BECKY BRUCE

KSLNewsRadio

REXBURG, Idaho — The family of two missing Idaho children say it is their remains that were found on the property belonging to their stepfather, Chad Daybell.

In a statement, Larry and Kay Woodcock, the grandparents of JJ Vallow, and Colby Ryan, the brother of Tylee Ryan, confirmed the remains are those of the missing children.

“We are filled with unfathomable sadness that these two bright stars were stolen from us, and only hope that they died without pain or suffering,” the families wrote.

“We are filled with unfathomable sadness.” Larry and Kay Woodcock and #TyleeRyan‘s brother Colby issue a statement. @KSL5TV pic.twitter.com/taVB8oq4h0

— Garna Mejia KSL (@GarnaMejiaKSL) June 10, 2020

JJ and Tylee were last seen in September in Rexburg, Idaho.

A first court appearance for Chad Daybell

Earlier in the day on Wednesday, a prosecutor in the case confirmed for the first time that two sets of human remains found on Chad Daybell’s property belonged to children. That acknowledgement came during a first court appearance for Daybell as the prosecutor argued for holding him on $1 million bail.

In setting bail, the judge also ordered that should Daybell post bail, he would be required to wear an ankle monitor, stay within a strict geographical radius of Fremont County, Idaho, and not contact the victim’s family.

Judge Faren Eddins also placed 9 requirements that #ChadDaybell must adhere to should he post the $1 million.

Those requirements included wearing an ankle monitor and not contacting the victims families. pic.twitter.com/mic3vFvSry

— Colby Walker (@walk_colb) June 10, 2020

Chad Daybell Court Hearing

Authorities took Chad Daybell into custody Tuesday after multiple agencies served a search warrant at his property in Salem, Idaho, a small town just north of Rexburg.

Human remains found at Daybell property

“Detectives and investigators have recovered what’s believed to be human remains that have not been identified at this time,” Assistant Rexburg Police Chief Gary Hagen told reporters at the time.

In a news release issued Wednesday morning, Hagen confirmed investigators found two sets of remains.

“After proper family notification, we would like to confirm at this time that investigators have discovered two sets of unidentified human remains. Autopsy results are pending,” Hagen wrote.

BREAKING: @RexburgPolice confirm two sets of remains were found on Chad Daybell’s property yesterday. https://t.co/IUvnwpr5G7 pic.twitter.com/ftGRTeFiIC

— KSL NewsRadio (@kslnewsradio) June 10, 2020

Charges filed shed more light on the accusations

The Madison County Prosecuting Attorney filed two felony counts of destruction, alteration or concealment of evidence against Chad Daybell on Wednesday. The charges allege that at the time of disappearance of both JJ Vallow and Tylee Ryan, Daybell did “willfully conceal and/or did aid and abet another to willfully conceal human remains.”

On charge one of the criminal complaint against Daybell, the prosecution asserts that on or between September 22, 2019, and June 9, 2020, he, “did willfully conceal and/or did aid and abet another to willfully conceal human remains, knowing that said human remains were about to be produced, used and/or discovered as evidence in felony proceeding, inquiry and/or investigation authorized by law, with the intent to prevent it from being so produced, used and/or discovered.”

On the second charge in that complaint, the prosecutors claim that on or between September 8, 2019, and June 9, 2020, Daybell “did willfully destroy, alter and/or conceal human remains, and/or did aid and abet another to willfully destroy, alter and/or conceal human remains.”

Wife also facing charges

Daybell’s wife, Lori Vallow, was arrested in February, after being found in contempt of court for failing to “physically produce” her adopted 7-year-old son Joshua “JJ” Vallow and 17-year-old Tylee Ryan. Her bail was initially set at $5 million, before being reduced to $1 million.

Vallow and Daybell married last fall, not long after both of their previous spouses died.

Daybell’s first wife, Tammy, died in October. Authorities originally said she died of natural causes, but later called it suspicious and had her body exhumed.

Vallow’s estranged husband Charles died in a fight with her brother that result in him being shot and killed. Her brother was never charged, and died in December.