17-Year-Old in DCS Custody Found Dead After Taking Road Trip With Criminal Uncle

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A teen boy from Tennessee was found dead in Mississippi after a multi-day outing with his uncle. Caden Cantrelle was under the care of Tennessee’s Department of Child Services, which allowed the uncle to take the boy. It is unknown exactly why the uncle picked him up and what their plans were. Not even a day later, the teen was found dead in Mississippi. His uncle was quickly arrested for manslaughter. Now, DCS employees have lost their jobs, and the investigations continue.

The body of 17-year-old Cantrelle was found by authorities lying in kudzu weeds in Jasper County, Mississippi, WTVF reported. At the time of his death, the teen was in the care of Tennessee DCS. According to Jasper County Sheriff Randy Johnson, Cantrelle didn’t check in with DCS on Monday, July 7, 2025. This prompted authorities to contact his father, who had Life360 installed on the teen’s phone. Pinging the phone led authorities to the boy’s body.

Cantrelle was last seen with his uncle, Victor Jerome Carver III.

Stacie Odeneal, who was Cantrelle’s guardian ad litem, said that DCS allowed Carver to have a two-day visit with Cantrelle. “The uncle never reported him missing,” Odeneal told WSMV. “He didn’t call the police. There is no record of police or an ambulance being called.”

Mississippi authorities reached out to the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office, which in turn arrested Carver. He was then charged with manslaughter in connection with Cantrelle’s death. According to police, Victor Jerome Carver III has a criminal history dating back to 2007. This includes a guilty plea for attempted aggravated assault.

“If this had been presented to me or presented to a judge and we knew the criminal history, many of us knew this uncle had a significant criminal history, we would have been opposed to giving this level of access to this child,” Odeneal said.

“Caden was such an incredible kid who had been through so much,” she added. “He experienced so much and was committed. This kid called me regularly.” Odeneal also considered the boy’s death a loss of “hope.”

Shortly after the teen’s death, an employee with the Tennessee DCS was terminated. Another resigned, WSMV reported. According to DCS, both employees are under investigation. 

“DCS remains committed to taking appropriate action as the department’s review of this case continues,” the department said in a statement. 

On July 14, multiple outlets reported that according to the Jasper County Sheriff’s Office, the district attorney had ordered the charges against Victor Jerome Carver III to be dropped. Reportedly, preliminary autopsy results did not confirm a cause of death. The investigation is ongoing.