Missing 6-year-old North Chicago boy found dead in Gary, 3 family members taken into custody: FBI

NORTH CHICAGO, Ill. - THIS STORY WAS UPDATED ON SATURDAY, JANUARY 8, 2022 WITH INFORMATION THAT DAMARI'S MOTHER HAS BEEN CHARGED. CLICK FOR UPDATE.

A 6-year-old boy from North Chicago who was reported missing Wednesday has been found dead in Gary, FBI Chicago confirmed.

Damari Perry's body was found near an abandoned house in the 700 block of Van Buren Street in Gary, Indiana, FBI confirmed Saturday morning. The autopsy is scheduled for Monday.

Three adult family members who are believed to be responsible for his death were taken into police custody. Juvenile members of the family are now in DCFS custody. The Associated Press reported that Perry's mom, Jannie Perry, has been charged with first-degree murder and other crimes. 

Damari was reportedly last seen in Skokie with his 16-year-old sister at her friend's home around 3 p.m. Tuesday, but that story has been proved to be false, the Associated Press reported. According to North Chicago police, that initial story claimed that Damari and his 16-year-old sister were driven to the party by a Black female only known as "Monique" and a Black male, who is known as "Wacko" or "Chaos."

The boy's mother said she has no idea where the friend's house was located in Skokie. Damari's sister allegedly described the apartment building where the party took place as possibly being a 3-story yellow building with an exposed stairway. Perry says her daughter was drinking, fell asleep and when she woke up her little brother was gone, and so was "Wacko." She then said she was driven back to her North Chicago home, without her brother, by Monique, police said.

Damari was reported missing Wednesday just before 5 p.m.

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Monique had been described as roughly 5'5", and approximately 20-years-old. She allegedly had been with her 6-year-old son named Tatum. Wacko was described as a 22-year-old man with a dark complexion and thin build. He had short braids or dreadlocks. Wacko also allegedly had a tattoo with cursive writing above one of his eyebrows.

"He was out with his sister at a play date. She had a cocktail. I guess someone put something in her drink. She ended up falling asleep. When she woke up, my son was gone. When she questioned the girl about where my son was the girl said she didn't know. When she came home, I reported him missing," said Perry before she was charged with murder.

FOX 32 has reached out to North Chicago police for more information.