A Georgia man employed by Walmart to portray Santa Claus was arrested after police found the bodies of his two kids buried in his backyard.
Elwyn Crocker Sr., 50, of Guyton, was arrested Dec. 21, accused of concealing the death of another person and cruelty to children in the first degree.
Advertisement
His 33-year-old wife, Candice Crocker; his 50-year-old mother-in-law; and that woman’s 55-year-old boyfriend have also been arrested for the same charges.
The arrests were made after Effingham County Sheriff’s deputies received a tip that Crocker’s daughter, Mary Crocker, was missing and they went to search the home, according to USA Today.
The girl had reportedly been missing for weeks, according to a Facebook post by the department. Her brother, Elwyn Crocker Jr., went missing in November 2016, when he was 14. No missing person report was filed for either child.
The bodies of both children were found “just inside the wood line,” a few feet from each other, police told USA Today. The day they were found, Dec. 20, would have been Mary Crocker’s 14th birthday, according to NBC News.
Advertisement
More tests are needed to determine the cause and manner of death, including toxicology reports, Effingham County Coroner David Exley told the media.
“I’ve been doing this 41 years and ... I almost broke down in tears,” Sheriff Jimmy McDuffie said at a news conference. “It’s that bad. I cannot understand how you do children like this. It’s horrible.”
A third child was found alive in the home and was taken to the hospital for observation, NBC News reported.
A man who lived near the suspects told WSAV TV that he has a clear line of sight to their home and said that after Mary Crocker was last seen in public, he saw Elwyn Crocker Sr. using a shovel numerous times in the area where the kids’ bodies were found.
Walmart spokeswoman Tara Aston released this statement to USA Today:
We’re devastated at this news. After reviewing the circumstances, we terminated Mr. Crocker. We are shocked at what has been reported and will do whatever we can to assist law enforcement.
HuffPost reached out to the Effingham County Jail to see if the suspects are still behind bars, but calls were not immediately returned.
Elwyn Crocker Sr. of Guyton, Georgia, was arrested Dec. 21, after police found the bodies of his two children buried in his backyard.
Effingham County Sheriff's Dept.
Support HuffPost
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
Your Loyalty Means The World To Us
At HuffPost, we believe that everyone needs high-quality journalism, but we understand that not everyone can afford to pay for expensive news subscriptions. That is why we are committed to providing deeply reported, carefully fact-checked news that is freely accessible to everyone.
Whether you come to HuffPost for updates on the 2024 presidential race, hard-hitting investigations into critical issues facing our country today, or trending stories that make you laugh, we appreciate you. The truth is, news costs money to produce, and we are proud that we have never put our stories behind an expensive paywall.
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. Would you consider becoming a regular HuffPost contributor?
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. If circumstances have changed since you last contributed, we hope you’ll consider contributing to HuffPost once more.
