|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
PLEASANTON, Kan. (BFMG) — A 13-year-old Kansas boy who disappeared while helping neighbors has been found dead in Missouri, and a 47-year-old man is facing criminal charges as authorities continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding the child’s death.
Airen Joseph Andula, of Pleasanton, Kansas, was reported missing Sunday evening after failing to return home from a neighbor’s house, where he had ridden his bicycle earlier that day to feed their pets while they were out of town, authorities said. He was last seen that morning wearing black jeans and a red hoodie and riding a red bicycle.
Search efforts involving multiple agencies were launched across rural Linn County, Kansas, covering wooded areas and bodies of water. On Monday, the search transitioned into a recovery investigation after law enforcement received new information. Later that day, Airen’s body was discovered in a ravine in Bates County, Missouri, officials said.
pasted
Missouri court records show Damon Leonard, 47, whom the family has identified as a neighbor, contacted the Bates County Sheriff’s Office and told authorities he knew Airen was dead and where the body was located. Leonard led investigators to the scene and has since been charged in Missouri with abandonment of a corpse.
Leonard is being held in the Bates County Jail on a $100,000 cash-only bond and is scheduled to appear in court on Dec. 30, 2025. Court filings indicate he is expected to face additional charges related to Airen’s death pending the outcome of an autopsy.
Airen’s father, Andula, said his son’s body was found concealed beneath a brush pile.
“I just can’t imagine him lying there like that,” he said. “Nobody in the world deserves to be treated like a bag of trash and thrown out.”
Authorities have not released a cause or manner of death. An autopsy is scheduled for Wednesday morning, and police say further updates are expected later in the day.
In a statement, the Kansas City, Kansas, Police Department said it has taken over the investigation at the request of local agencies due to a conflict of interest.
“Detectives with the Kansas City, Kansas Police Department are currently in Linn County, Kansas investigating the death of a 13-year-old male juvenile,” the department said. “There’s currently a person of interest in custody in Bates County, Missouri, and the death of the child remains undetermined pending the medical examination by the coroner’s office.”
All suspects are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court, the statement said. Investigators urged anyone with information to contact the Crime Stoppers Tips Hotline at 816-474-TIPS or submit tips online. Tipsters may be eligible for a cash reward.
The tragedy has shaken the small community of Pleasanton just days before Christmas. Airen’s parents, Anita Gunn and Andula, along with his sisters, Allison and Addison, said they are struggling to process the loss.
“We thought this was going to be the safest place for our babies,” Gunn said through tears. “It’s unbelievable, and we’re still not wanting to believe it’s real, but we know it is.”
Gunn described her son as “awesome,” “funny,” and “very lovable,” saying he rarely got into trouble. “My Air Bear,” she said. “He had so much life he didn’t get to live.”
Pleasanton School District Superintendent Don Epps said Airen was a beloved student who embodied the school’s values.
“Airen was a sweet young man,” Epps said. “He worked extremely hard. He was a young man of action, not words.”
The district said counseling and support services are being made available to students and staff.
In a Facebook post, Airen’s sister shared graphic claims about what she believes happened to her brother. Those allegations have not been confirmed by law enforcement and are not included in current charging documents. Investigators have cautioned that the case remains active and that conclusions will depend on the results of the autopsy.
The family says they want Airen remembered for who he was — a kind, helpful child who loved his family and community.
“Life is short,” Andula said. “If you’re distanced from your family, don’t let that distance come between you.”
The family has setup a donation page to help cover funeral costs associated with his case.
Blunt Force Media will continue to follow the case as investigators release additional information.
