“Baby Bones” Indictments in Monmouth Spur Bi-State Case Forward

Three New Yorkers suspected of roles in the nearly eight-year-old "Baby Bones" case in Monmouth County now await court proceedings, following indictments handed up today in Freehold. The discovery of a preteen's charred remains in 2005 in Upper Freehold captured national attention.

Likisha Jones, 39, and Godfrey Gibson, 48, of Manhattan, and James Jones, 35, of Brooklyn are charged with hindering apprehension of another, tampering with physical evidence, obstructing the administration of justice, and conspiracy to commit the crimes.

The New York County District Attorney's office is still reviewing homicide charges in relation to the death of Jon-Niece Jones, 9, of Manhattan.

The girl's partly-buried skull and jaw were found in March 2005 in Upper Freehold's Clayton Park section by a hunter. DNA testing established her identity and pegged her date of birth as September 5, 1992.

Investigators painstakingly gathered and combed evidence, even gaining the attention of television's "America's Most Wanted" four years after the discovery.

Authorities concluded that Jon-Niece died August 15, 2002 at her aunt Likisha's home in Harlem after years of abuse by her natural mother, Elisha Jones. Detectives believe that Elisha Jones enlisted James Jones, the girl's uncle, and Likisha's boyfriend Gibson to take the body to Upper Freehold, set it on fire, and bury it.

Disease led to Elisha Jones's death in December 2002.

Monmouth Superior Court Judge Thomas Scully set bail for Likisha Jones and James Jones at $40,000 and Godfrey Gibson's at $75,000, all without a 10-percent payment option. All three have posted bail.

Hindering apprehension is a third-degree offense with a maximum prison term of five years on conviction. Gibson faces two additional second-degree hindering charges that carry possible prison terms of up to 10 years. The tampering and obstruction counts are classified as fourth-degree, with possible sentences of up to 18 months.