Mom jailed, man sought after child found in freezer at Bradenton home

Authorities hope to make a positive identification Monday on the body of a child found in a freezer in a Bradenton home late Sunday.

Bradenton police believe it's the body of 11-year-old Janiya Thomas, whom authorities started looking for last week. The girl's mother, 31-year-old Keishanna Thomas, has refused to cooperate with a judge and is being held in jail on a contempt of court charge.

On Sunday night, police received a tip that Janiya Thomas' body might be located in a freezer at the girl's aunt's and grandmother's house in the 5000 block of 21st Way E. According to the Bradenton Herald, police say a man and Keishanna Thomas moved the freezer into the home on Wednesday. Police say they know who the man is and are looking for him.

Police are also waiting for a positive identification on the child's body from the medical examiner's office. Child Protective Services officials say Janiya had been missing since August 2014, according to the Herald.

The aunt and grandmother discovered the body after searching for the girl, whom they had not seen in a long time.

Before the discovery, Keishanna Thomas was under investigation by Child Protective Services concerning a claim of child abuse by one of the children.

Case workers from the Department of Children and Families went to Thomas' home last week to take her five children into their custody. But Janiya was not there, and the mother refused to offer an explanation, police say.

Police say the girl had a medical condition that often made it difficult for her to make it to the bathroom in time. It's a condition Janiya's father died from..................

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