Sheriff confirms body found in Montana is missing Oregon boy

Officials confirmed Thursday that the child's body found in a remote area of northwestern Montana was a missing boy from Oregon and that he had been shot in the head.

This undated photo provided by the FBI shows 2-year-old Aiden Salcido, who authorities were searching in Montana. [Photo: AP]

An autopsy confirmed 2-year-old Aiden Salcido of Medford, Oregon, was the victim found July 28, according to Lincoln County Sheriff Darren Short.

His parents, Hannah Janiak and Daniel Salcido, died in an apparent murder-suicide after fleeing a traffic stop near Kalispell on July 24. Kalispell police had initially stopped their vehicle because they had felony burglary warrants for their arrest.

Officers said Janiak died of a gunshot wound to her head and Daniel Salcido died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

The boy was not in the vehicle, prompting a search.

Witnesses called in tips after seeing the story on the news and reported seeing a vehicle matching the description of the one belonging to Janiak and Salcido near a remote campsite in Lincoln County. Searchers found the boy's body in the West Fisher Creek area.

The Jackson County Sheriff's Office investigated the couple in a burglary in 2018, the FBI said. Both were convicted of the charges. Janiak was to start serving her sentence at the Jackson County Jail on June 11, the FBI said.

When she failed to show up, the warrants were issued.

Relatives described Janiak to law enforcement as a good mother who had mental health issues. Relatives also told law enforcement that the family was homeless and would camp in Medford.

Investigators searched Janiak's financial records and found that the last activity was on June 3 and June 4, when purchases were made at a Walmart in Medford, the FBI said. The purchases of camping equipment were caught on surveillance video, which showed the parents and Aiden together.

Detectives found a receipt in the car from the Kalispell Walmart dated July 25, the same day they died. Salcido and Janiak appeared in the surveillance video, but Aiden did not, Flathead County Sheriff Brian Heino said previously.