LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- The Salem, Indiana, headstone for a 5-year-old boy found dead in a suitcase in rural Washington County is finally getting a name.

Before now, the grave marker memorialized, "A beloved little boy known but to God." But on Friday morning, that headstone was engraved with the boy's full name: Cairo Ammar Jordan.

Jordan was publicly identified by Indiana State Police on Wednesday, for the first time, several months after a mushroom hunter found him dead in a suitcase in Washington County, Indiana, in April.

Indiana State Police say 37-year-old Dejaune Ludie Anderson, the boy's mother, is charged with murder in the case. Police believe she is on the run somewhere in California.

On Friday morning, Corey Churchman of Marshall Monuments put the finishing touches on the grave marker, which now reads:

IN LOVING MEMORY

OF A BELOVED LITTLE BOY

KNOWN BUT TO GOD.

CAIRO AMMAR

JORDAN

2016-2022

ASLEEP IN THE ARMS OF JESUS.

Cairo would have turned 6 on Oct. 24.

"In a case like this, it's so hard," Churchman said. 

Churchman has been Marshall Monuments for seven years. He says after engraving the headstone for a close friend years ago, he learned the true weight of his job and now calls every carving he does, "a honor."

Though he notes, Cairo's headstone is different.

Headstone of Cairo Ammar Jordan, fully engraved with his name.

Corey Churchman of Marshall Monuments, examines the headstone of Cairo Ammar Jordan, a 5-year-old boy who was found dead in a suitcase in rural Washington County, Indiana. Image taken on Friday, Oct. 28, 2022, moments after Churchman engraved Cairo's name. Before then, the grave memorialized "a beloved little boy known but to God." (Image by: Grace Hayba / WDRB)

"When you work on a stone, you've worked with the family, you've maybe known the loved one," he said. "In this case, we didn't know anything."

Now the father of two young boys -- ages 1 and 3 -- calls the latest developments in Cairo's case "gut wrenching."

"Now that we know who he is, it's just so touching to be able to give the family on that and this community who has really rallied around him," he said. "In our industry, you see everything. You really do. Which makes me not take anything for granted. I always run home and hug my boys and kiss my wife."

He knows the emotions of this particular loss are felt by many.

"I'll check on him every time I'm here, which is every week," he said. 

He says Cairo's family will be welcomed by the community with open arms.

"They could always call on us and we'd be right there, and I think that's just a sign of where we live and who we are," he said. "I can't imagine how they now feel and I hope they would feel welcome here anytime."

As he kneels before the freshly engraved headstone, Churchman becomes emotional.

"It's just a child... just a sweet child, you know?" he said. "When you have two young boys and you're doing this for this young man... it will get you."

Cairo Ammar Jordan headstone engraved

Headstone engraved for 5-year-old Cairo Ammar Jordan in Salem, Indiana.

Churchman says being part of such a close-knit community and having strong faith has helped him and others process the tragedy.

"You take the good with the bad, but at the end of the day, we have each other, but now we have him here in a beautiful spot," he said. "Who knows what he would've done or what he could've been or the man he would've grown up to be. That's sad. That's just sad."

As he cleaned up his worksite, Churchman thanked local police and ISP for working to give the young boy justice. 

"I think a lot of respect goes out to our law enforcement and ISP feeling confident in their abilities. That's why we went ahead and left a space there on our stone," the carver said. "Everything designed around it was really gauged in our faith in our savior and that he's in the arms of Jesus."

According to court documents, fingerprints on the trash bag that Jordan was wrapped in matched Anderson's. A second match was found on the trash bag to Dawn Elaine Coleman.

On October 14th, two warrants were issued for Anderson and Coleman. Detectives traveled to California to make arrests of both women but were only able to find Coleman. Coleman faces charges of neglect and obstruction of justice. Police do not believe Coleman is related to Cairo Jordan.

The probable cause affidavit says cell phones for both Anderson and Coleman were tracked to the area the boy was found on April 14th, two days before the suitcase was discovered. The documents go on to say that Anderson had been making social media posts for months referring to the child as a "demon." 

On April 12th, Anderson tweeted "I have survived the death attacks from my 5-year-old throughout the 5 years he has been alive. I have been able to weaken his powers through our blood. I have his real name and he is 100 years old. Need assistance."

On April 15th, the day before Jordan's body was discovered, Anderson posted on Facebook, "This is a whole demon in a child body. Why you think she need a cigarette?!! Losing energy huh! 64 years old in a child body. Was full of gifts and magickal (sic) rites stronger than many of you because your frequency not high enough. Start asking spirit to reveal these things to you hiding behind a body. "

Police say Riverlink cameras captured Anderson's car driving south on the I-65 bridge from Indiana into Kentucky on the same day the suitcase was discovered. 

Anderson remains on the run and authorities believe she is in California. She is not from the Kentuckiana area and police say the trio was "passing through" when Cairo's body was dumped. Detectives describe Anderson as 5'5", 135 pounds and from Atlanta. 

Cairo was never reported as missing, according to police.

The toxicology report showed no foreign substances in his system, and he had no significant external injuries, according to ISP Sgt. Carey Huls. He was found clean and clothed, and there is no indication he was placed in the suitcase alive.

A month after he was found, ISP said Jordan likely died from an electrolyte imbalance, most likely due vomiting and diarrhea, leading to dehydration.

"No matter what progress is made, no matter what happens. We’re still dealing with the tragic death of a young child…but the wheels of justice do turn," said Huls at a press conference Wednesday.

Related Stories:

Copyright 2022. WDRB News. All rights reserved.