ROCK ISLAND, Ill. — A 10-year-old boy found dead in a garbage can in Rock Island on July 26 was shot, according to Rock Island County coroner Brian Gustafson.
The coroner released Friday that the preliminary autopsy of Zion Staples found that the boy died from a gunshot wound.
Earlier in the investigation, detectives said that the boy most likely died in December 2022.
The boy's mother, Sushi M. Staples, 37, is currently in custody in the Rock Island County Jail. She is charged with concealment of a death, obstruction of justice, and failure to report the death of a child.
She has a preliminary hearing set for Tuesday, Aug. 15 at 8:30 a.m.
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