From 2013 to 2023: A timeline of events leading up to Navin Jones' death, his parents' trials

PEORIA— The death of 8-year-old Navin Jones has shocked many and caused them to question if the system failed the little boy.

When he was found unresponsive in his parents' Peoria home, he weighed about 30 pounds. Authorities have described the treatment of the boy as "heinous." The terms skeletal and emaciated were used to describe his condition.

His mother, Stephanie Jones, pleaded guilty to murder in December 2023. His father, Brandon Walker, was convicted of murder one week later. They both could face life in prison when sentenced in early 2024.

Below is a chronology of what happened in the case.

Dec. 7, 2013

Navin was born and tested positive for opiates. Navin and his older brother were put into the custody of DCFS. Later, they were placed with their grandmother Laura Walker.

December 2017

There had been several reports to the DCFS hotline in 2017 and one of those, in December, was deemed valid. That involved an allegation that Stephanie Jones “spanked” Navin (age 4), causing bruises to his buttocks. That same year, his grandmother obtained legal guardianship.

July 10, 2021

Laura Walker went to Florida to care for one of her parents. She left Navin and his brother in the care of their parents. Navin, she has said, wanted to be with his brother, and she was driving to Florida. She was gone for a few weeks. She returned to the Peoria area on Aug. 1, according to a report from the Washington Police Department.

Aug. 17, 2021

DCFS opened an investigation after Stephanie Jones and Brandon Walker refused to return the two boys to Laura Walker. She had called the DCFS hotline to report poor conditions at the house, and that the parents were not returning the boys to her.

Laura Walker told the DCFS investigator she looked through the windows of the home of the parents and observed trash, clutter and old food inside. She also said Jones had a history of drug use and physical aggression toward Navin and his older brother.

That same day, Laura Walker also reached out to Peoria police to help her get the children back. Officers went to the house, according to a report obtained by the Journal Star, and left the children in the care of their parents after Laura Walker said she didn't want anything to do with the children.

In an interview, Laura Walker disputed that and said the officer who took the report refused to help her after several hours of trying.

More:'I just didn't do enough': Grandma of Peoria boy laments not being able to stop his death

Aug. 19, 2021

Laura Walker went to the Washington Police Department to seek help in getting the children back. She lived in that city, and the children went to school there. In the report, she said she had tried from Aug. 1 until Aug. 17, when she went to their house on North Gale Avenue in Peoria, to get the children back, but that the parents were uncooperative.

An officer contacted Brandon Walker, telling him Laura Walker was concerned about the children. He said he'd bring them back. 

Two days later, the children had not yet returned to Laura Walker's house, and another call by an officer revealed that Stephanie Jones, Brandon Walker and the two boys were in the Chicago area. 

On this same date, the case worker spoke with Peoria Public Schools and verified that neither child was registered to attend classes.

Aug. 24, 2021

Laura Walker went back to the Washington Police Department to report the children as missing. A detective called Brandon Walker, who stated he was out of the state and refused to tell the detective where he was. He vowed not to give the children back to Laura Walker, the report stated, and said that he had legal custody of the children as the Peoria police left them with Jones and himself. 

The detective then spoke to Laura Walker, who said she never gave up guardianship and that she feared her son and Stephanie Jones had left for Florida. The detective talked to a DCFS caseworker, who said the children would be going into DCFS custody as soon as they were located. 

Aug. 25, 2021

A Washington detective wrote in his report that he was told by a friend of Brandon Walker that Navin and his older brother were in Kissimmee, Florida. It wasn't clear when the children left Illinois from the report.

The detective also reached out to a prosecutor from the Tazewell County State's Attorney's Office as well as the DCFS caseworker to update them. 

Oct. 14, 2021

After numerous unsuccessful attempts to locate the children, the DCFS caseworker spoke to Brandon Walker, who said the family had moved to Florida and was not coming back.

According to the caseworker, Brandon Walker said he was planning to return to Illinois on Oct. 21 as the children had a doctor's appointment. He agreed to let the caseworker see the children when he returned.

Oct. 15, 2021

The caseworker called the children's doctor and learned there was no appointment scheduled for either child. The older brother was last seen for a visit on June 30, 2021, while Navin was last seen on Dec. 30, 2019. Both were up to date, the caseworker learned, on their shots. 

Nov. 3, 2021

DCFS determined the claim made on Aug. 17, 2021, by Laura Walker that the parents' home was an unsafe environment was unfounded and closed the investigation. 

More:From 'unfounded' abuse reports to his death: DCFS documents detail Navin Jones' final months

Feb. 14, 2022

DCFS launched a new investigation based on an anonymous tip. It alleged that Navin had black eyes from falling down the stairs; he was locked in the basement when the mother didn't want to deal with him; Navin and his brother were not enrolled in school; and they were dirty.

DCFS attempted several visits with the children over the next week, all of which were unsuccessful. On this day, Brandon Walker called DCFS and said the children were not enrolled in school because he and Stephanie Jones did not have legal guardianship of them. He said the family had come home from Florida in January and was not able to re-establish guardianship. 

Feb. 22, 2022

DCFS was allowed to visit with Navin and his older brother. Both said they felt safe at the home and denied being harmed. Navin was observed to be “sickly” in appearance; the caseworker noted he was thin and small in stature. Both Navin and his parents said he ate regularly but did not gain weight. He was seen by the caseworker eating a bag of popcorn during the visit.

During the visit, Navin said he wanted to stay with his parents rather than go back to Laura Walker's home. The caseworker discussed Navin's health issues and said the parents should take him to a doctor. Brandon Walker said they would like to take Navin to the doctor, but they did not have legal guardianship of him.

March 29, 2022

On March 29, the 8-year-old boy – who weighed 30 pounds when he died – was found unresponsive at his parents' home in the 1700 block of North Gale Avenue. His mother had called 911 and said she had put him into a downstairs shower to revive him after she noticed he was not breathing. Paramedics rushed him to a hospital, but the boy died a short time later.

March 30, 2022

Navin's parents were arrested on the charge of endangering the life of a child that resulted in a death.

March 31, 2022

Stephanie Jones and Brandon Walker had a bond hearing on charges of first-degree murder. A prosecutor said conditions were horrible at the house where Navin was found. The boy's room upstairs "reeked" of feces and urine. A rope was used to hold the door shut, keeping the boy inside while another rope was on a closet door. 

Navin's older brother was taken into protective custody by DCFS, and later placed with a foster parent.

Peoria County Coroner Jamie Harwood said he was reopening the investigation into the 2007 death of Navin's half-brother Nigel Ragon, who died at his Washburn home. At the time, it was ruled as a death by natural causes.

More:After homicide of Peoria boy, investigation reopened into half-brother's death

April 12, 2022

Stephanie Jones and Brandon Walker were indicted on six counts each of first-degree murder in connection with Navin's death. Some of the charges alleged they acted in a "brutal and heinous way, indicative of wanton cruelty," which could trigger a possible life sentence if they are convicted.

Dec. 7, 2023

Stephanie Jones pleads guilty to first-degree murder in Navin's case. She is scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 7. Brandon Walker, Navin's father, is set to begin his jury trial on Dec. 11.

More:Peoria parents acted in 'brutal and heinous' way, fatally neglecting son, prosecutor says

Dec. 15, 2023

It took a jury just 45 minutes to find Brandon Walker guilty of murder in the death of Navin. Prosecutors argued, and a jury ultimately agreed that Walker "had no interest in providing Navin anything," and was therefore culpable in his death. He faces life in prison when sentenced on Feb. 28.

Prosecutors said during Walker's case that Navin had "two parents and two murderers." Peoria State's Attorney Jodi Hoos summed up the case at the end of Walker's trial: “My office, this jury, and our community have cared more for Navin in his death than his parents ever did in his life. Good riddance to them.”