Prior to the discovery of missing 12-year-old Jaylen Griffin's necrotized remains in a Buffalo, New York, attic earlier this month, two other dead bodies were discovered in separate instances at the same property in previous years.
Two months before Jaylen disappeared, officers responding to a welfare check at 107 Sheffield Avenue in June 2020 discovered a person's remains inside the home, WIVB-TV reported, citing police records. A cause of death and the victim's identification remain unclear, but resulted in a September 2022 arrest. In August 2023, another body was recovered – this time, in the yard.
Then, on April 12, a maintenance worker servicing the home found Jaylen's remains stuffed in the attic.
In total, police have responded to more than 160 complaints – including domestic violence and mental health calls – at the house since 2007, according to the station.
Unidentified neighbors allege tenants frequently change at the rental property.
"I don't feel safe in my own house," one unidentified neighbor told WKBW-TV, last week.
Court records indicate the home is owned by Sunrise West, LLC.
The company is named co-defendant, alongside Spectrum Health and Human Services – a non-profit, community health organization that helps people struggling with substance abuse find affordable housing – as well as tenant Deanna Withrow, in a 2022 negligence lawsuit.
The plaintiff is a next door neighbor who alleges Withrow caused $130,000 worth of damage to their home when she threw out clothing and debris that caught fire while she and a friend were smoking. As a result, the neighbor's home went up in flames, the documents state.
"Spectrum failed to properly and diligently to vet Ms. Withrow for the subject apartment, despite her propensity for smoking, and the need for Spectrum's services," the records read.
At least one registered sex offender also lived at 107 Sheffield Avenue up until last month, WKBW reported, citing jail records.
Speaking with Headlines & Global News last week, Jaylen's longtime family friend Pastor Tim Newkirk said the neighborhood where the pre-teen was found is a notably "high drug infested area... where there's gun violence, drugs, prostitution, overdoses and all kinds of different weird activities."
Shortly after his family reported him missing, police surmised he willingly disappeared.
"They left it as just a runaway case because of his age and pretty much didn't put that much emphasis on there being a suspect or any type of crime or foul play. They didn't believe that he was in any harm or danger," said Newkirk.
Jaylen's homicide investigation continues.
