Parents Charged in Death of 8-Month-Old Miya Rudd Scheduled to Appear in Court

OHIO COUNTY, Ky. — The parents of 8-month-old Miya Rudd are expected to appear in court today as proceedings continue in the case surrounding the infant’s death.

Cage Rudd and Tesla Tucker are scheduled for a pretrial conference at 10 a.m. Both face murder charges, along with additional related counts, in connection with their daughter’s death.

Their court appearance comes one week after two other defendants in the case, Ricky Smith and Brodie Payne, accepted plea agreements. Smith and Payne were among four individuals originally charged in the investigation.

While those cases have been resolved through plea deals, Rudd and Tucker remain in custody as they await trial.

This report was compiled using information gathered from law enforcement statements, official press releases, Breathitt Advocate and publicly available news sources.

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ORIGINAL STORY:

Four Indicted in Death of 8-Month-Old Miya Rudd

OHIO COUNTY, Ky. — Four individuals have been indicted in Ohio County in connection with the death of 8-month-old Miya Rudd, who was reported missing in April 2024.

An Ohio County Grand Jury indicted Miya’s parents, 30-year-old Tesla Tucker and 31-year-old Cage Rudd, along with her paternal grandfather, 57-year-old Ricky Smith, and a family friend, 29-year-old Brodie Payne. All four face one count of murder and three counts of criminal abuse of a child. All are residents of Reynolds Station, Kentucky.

Miya was reported missing in late April 2024. Following an extensive investigation involving multiple law enforcement agencies, her decomposed body was discovered on June 14, 2024. Authorities say the infant’s remains were found concealed inside a duffel bag within the home where she lived with her parents, Smith, and Payne.

Investigators also determined that Miya’s grandmother, 50-year-old Taletha Tucker, had previously been granted custody of Tesla Tucker’s three other children. Officials allege she violated a court order by allowing the children to continue living with their mother.

Miya’s parents, along with Smith and Payne, remain incarcerated as the case proceeds through the court system.