The disappearance and death of 13-year-old Airen Andula has shaken communities in eastern Kansas and western Missouri, prompting a multi-jurisdictional investigation that remains ongoing. What began as a routine errand on a Sunday morning ended in tragedy, with the boy’s body discovered days later in a remote Missouri creek bed, far from his home. Authorities have since charged 47-year-old Damon Leonard of Pleasanton, Kansas, with abandonment of a corpse in Bates County, Missouri, while indicating that more serious charges are expected to follow in Kansas as investigators work to determine how the child died.
Disappearance of Airen Andula and Search Efforts in Kansas
Airen Andula was last seen on the morning of Sunday, Dec. 21, riding his bicycle in his neighborhood in Holiday Lakes, a small community in Linn County, Kansas. According to authorities, the teenager had ridden his bike to a nearby neighbor’s house to feed their pets while they were away, a task that suggested nothing out of the ordinary. When Airen failed to return home later that day, concern quickly turned into alarm.
By that evening, Airen’s parents reported him missing to the Linn County Sheriff’s Office. Deputies initiated search efforts that included canvassing the neighborhood, retracing the route Airen was believed to have taken, and gathering information from residents. The disappearance of a young teen in a rural area raised immediate concerns, and the search intensified as hours turned into days without any confirmed sightings.
Law enforcement officials coordinated with neighboring agencies as the search expanded beyond Holiday Lakes. Family members, friends, and volunteers reportedly joined in efforts to locate the boy, holding out hope that he would be found safe. At that stage, there was no public indication that Airen had left the area voluntarily or that he was in immediate danger, leaving investigators with limited information to work from.
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As the search continued into Tuesday, Dec. 23, Kansas authorities were still actively looking for Airen, unaware that developments were unfolding across state lines that would soon bring devastating news.
Discovery of the Body in Missouri and Charges Against Damon Leonard
On Tuesday, Dec. 23, the Bates County Sheriff’s Office in Missouri responded to a call that would dramatically alter the investigation. According to a probable cause statement obtained by PEOPLE, Damon Leonard, 47, contacted authorities and reported that he knew where the missing Kansas boy was and that the child was dead. Deputies went to Leonard’s residence in Pleasanton, Kansas, where he was interviewed regarding his claims.
During that interview, Leonard allegedly told deputies that he had transported the deceased child from Kansas to Missouri. Based on the information he provided, authorities obtained a search warrant and accompanied Leonard to a remote rural area in Bates County. There, he reportedly led deputies to a desolate creek bed at the bottom of a large ravine, where the boy’s body had been left.
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The probable cause statement alleges that Leonard admitted to transporting Airen’s body from Kansas into Missouri and abandoning it in the creek bed before returning to Kansas, where he resides. The body was reportedly found in a brush pile and covered, details that added to the shock and distress surrounding the case.
Leonard was subsequently charged in Bates County with abandonment of a corpse, a serious felony offense under Missouri law. Authorities have stated that he is expected to face additional charges in Kansas, although specific charges have not yet been announced publicly. Law enforcement officials in Bates County indicated that the investigation remains active and that further developments are anticipated as evidence is reviewed and forensic examinations are completed.
As of now, police have not disclosed how Airen Andula died, and no official cause of death has been released. Investigators have remained cautious in their public statements, emphasizing that determining the circumstances surrounding the boy’s death is a priority of the ongoing investigation.
Leonard pleaded not guilty during a court appearance in Bates County Circuit Court on Tuesday, Dec. 23. He is currently being held in the Bates County jail on a $100,000 bond while awaiting extradition proceedings to Kansas. His next court date is scheduled for Jan. 15, 2026. It remains unclear whether Leonard has retained legal counsel who can comment on his behalf.
Family Grief, Community Impact, and Unanswered Questions
For Airen Andula’s family, the confirmation of his death brought unimaginable grief. Speaking to KSHB, Airen’s father, Charles Andula, described the pain of learning how his son was allegedly treated after his death. He said the boy was apparently found in a brush pile, covered up and discarded “like trash,” words that conveyed both heartbreak and anger. “I just can’t imagine him laying there like that,” Charles Andula said, expressing the anguish of a parent trying to process the loss of a child under such disturbing circumstances.
Airen’s mother, Anita Gunn, also spoke publicly about the devastation her family is experiencing. Describing her son’s disappearance and death as “a big nightmare,” she said the family is still struggling to accept the reality of what has happened. “It’s unbelievable and we’re still not wanting to believe it’s real, but we know it is,” she told KSHB. The case has deeply affected the communities of Holiday Lakes, Kansas, and Bates County, Missouri, where residents have expressed shock and sorrow. T
he fact that Airen’s body was found roughly 30 miles from his home, across state lines, has underscored the complexity of the investigation and the need for coordination between multiple law enforcement agencies. Many questions remain unanswered. Authorities have not explained how Airen encountered Leonard, what events led up to his death, or why his body was transported and abandoned in such a remote location. The lack of information about the cause and manner of death has left the public and the family awaiting further clarity as the investigation progresses.
Law enforcement officials have emphasized that additional charges are likely once Kansas authorities complete their portion of the investigation. Until then, the abandonment of a corpse charge represents only part of what may ultimately be a much broader criminal case.
As the legal process moves forward, Airen Andula’s family is left to grieve the loss of a young life cut short. Friends and neighbors remember him as a child who left home to do a simple, responsible task and never returned. The case serves as a stark reminder of how quickly ordinary moments can turn into tragedy, and it continues to unfold as investigators work to uncover the full truth behind the death of a 13-year-old boy whose disappearance ended in heartbreak.
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