Buffalo 12-Year-Old Missing For Years Found Dead

A young man who has been missing was recently found deceased. The story of a 12-year-old young man from Buffalo ended in tragedy, more than three years after his disappearance.

More than three and a half years since Jaylen Griffin went missing, his body has been found. In a few days, Jaylen M. Griffin would have been turning 16, on April 22. His mother Joann Ponzo recently passed away at the age of 48.

Buffalo Police say Jaylen M. Griffin went missing on August 4, 2020, according to WKBW. He was last seen at his house on Warren Avenue in Buffalo. Jaylen was 5 feet 3 inches tall and 145 pounds when he went missing. He has black hair and brown eyes.

His mother had shared a message on Facebook wishing him a happy birthday more than two years ago,

Jaylen Griffin's Body Found In Buffalo

I always hoped, over the years, that Jaylen would be found as a runaway. But, On Monday, April 15, his body was discovered in a Buffalo home. According to WGRZ, Jaylen was discovered by a maintenance worker in a home on Sheffield Avenue in Buffalo on Friday, April 12. Buffalo Police Commissioner Joseph Gramaglia said,

"The body that was located in the house had been there for a significant amount of time. I do want to extend my sincerest sympathies to the family of Jaylen. This department has conducted extensive searches and I want Jaylen's family to know that we are working diligently to bring the next closure for the family."

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It was not made clear how long Jaylen's body had been in the home, but he had to be identified by dental records. Aside from Jaylen's mother passing, his brother Jawaan had been shot and killed in front of the family home in November 2020, only a few months after Jaylen went missing.

The Erie County medical examiner will be conducting an autopsy on Jaylen's body, but the results could take months. My condolences go out to Jaylen's family and loved ones.