SALEM, Ind. – In a heartbreaking case that has drawn national attention, the mother of a 5-year-old son discovered dead in a suitcase in southern Indiana appeared before a court without bond, in circumstances that only served to further complicate the already awful story. Dejaune Anderson, 38, of Atlanta, gained notoriety for her strange actions during her first court appearance in Salem, Indiana, but also for the tragic finding of her son Cairo Ammar Jordan’s body in April 2022.
The case began when a mushroom hunter in a forested area about 35 miles northwest of Louisville, Kentucky, discovered a suitcase containing the remains of a little child named Cairo. Cairo’s death was determined to be caused by dehydration after a severe episode of vomiting and diarrhea. Anderson was charged with murder, negligence, and obstruction of justice after the heartbreaking picture of neglect that the boy’s death left behind.
Following a nearly two-year manhunt, Anderson claimed to have been under observation by the National Security Agency (NSA) and an unidentified Space Force detail. Her capture by U.S. Marshals in California signaled the end of the manhunt. During her court appearance, she claimed to be following “every move,” which led to an interesting conversation with Washington County Circuit Judge Larry Medlock. In an effort to challenge the legitimacy of her detention without bond, Anderson claimed that her statement that she had been under continual observation went against her status as a fugitive.
When Anderson was initially asked to identify herself, she gave a bogus name and birthdate, referring to herself as “Princess” and saying that she represented the “entity” of Anderson, which further added to the bizarre atmosphere of the court appearance. Judge Medlock addressed the matter of legal representation after Anderson made an unusual declaration. Anderson requested to represent herself, but this motion was quickly denied in favor of assigning counsel from the public defender’s office.
The court began a legal process intended to bring justice to Cairo by setting a possible trial date of August 6. As the nation and community wait for answers in a case that has exposed the tragedies that can result from neglect and the intricacies of mental health concerns inside the criminal justice system, Anderson is scheduled to return to court on April 25.
In a similar event, Anderson’s co-defendant Dawn Coleman, 41, of Shreveport, Louisiana, and the prosecution worked out a plea agreement. Another layer of closure to this extremely upsetting case comes from Coleman’s sentence of 30 years in jail with five years suspended to probation after entering a guilty plea to charges of aiding, inducing, or causing murder, neglect of a dependent resulting in death, and obstruction of justice.
This heartbreaking incident is playing out in the courts as a sobering reminder of the repercussions of neglect and the vulnerabilities of the youngest members of society. Cairo Ammar Jordan was a young child whose life was brutally cut short. His death has had a profound impact on the community and everyone who has followed the case, highlighting the critical need for care and attention in the protection of children everywhere.