Jahi Turner's Stepfather Faces San Diego Judge in Pretrial Hearing

Fourteen years after the disappearance of 2-year-old Jahi Turner, San Diego prosecutors present evidence alleging the toddler's stepfather was responsible for the boy's death.

Among the evidence was a nearly 12-minute 911 call made to report Jahi missing on April 25, 2002. Listen to the full 911 call here.

The child was being cared for by his stepfather Tieray Jones while his mother, Tameka Turner, was deployed aboard USS Rushmore.

Hundreds of volunteers and police officers spent weeks looking for Jahi near the playground at 28th Street and Cedar Street in San Diego's South Park neighborhood. That's where Jones reported the child was last seen.

Law enforcement officers raked through 5,000 tons of garbage at the Miramar Landfill, but came up with nothing.

Tameka Jones testified Monday that she had moved her son from Maryland to San Diego four days before he was reported missing. The family rented an apartment in the Golden Hill area of the city.

Then, Tameka Jones returned to Maryland to report for duty, leaving Jahi in the care of the defendant.

She said that after the cross-country trip, she and Tieray had about $40 in the bank while they waited for moving expenses to be reimbursed by the U.S. Navy.

She testified the defendant spoke with her by phone on Tuesday, April 23, 2002 and told her Jahi had suffered a bump on the forehead.

Detailed in the arrest warrant is a journal entry from that day.

According to the court document, Jones wrote, “Today for some reason he hasn’t been moving or really talking. Jahi is starting to act really funny he won’t get up off the floor. He’s not walking or talking when I tell him to get his cup he just looks at me. I know it’s going to take some time. But I don’t want him hating me for something I can’t control. The bump on his head has gone down I put ice on it. It’s gotten a little red.”

In the arrest warrant, authorities suggest that entry is evidence suggesting Jahi suffered a fatal physical injury while in Jones’ care.

Click here to read the search warrant.

Two days later Tieray called to tell her Jahi had disappeared from a nearby park, Tameka Jones testified.

Jones was arrested in March and charged with one count of murder and one count of felony child abuse causing death, authorities said. Both carry a 25-years-to-life sentence if convicted.

Though new evidence has been uncovered in the case, authorities have not found Jahi's body or remains, police said.

Jones' attorney Alex Ozols said in an earlier interview that there are a lot of questions that need to be answered.

“We believe in Tieray's innocence, we are going to fight for him until the end and we strongly believe that his son is still alive," Ozols said.

Under cross-examination, defense attorneys asked Tameka Jones about police interviews after Jahi's disappearance. She testified that she told officers Tieray Jones took good care of Jahi.

More witnesses were expected to testify Monday afternoon. Check back for updates to this developing story.

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