Arrests continue to be made as police search for missing 8-month-old Ohio Co. girl

The grandmother of a baby missing from Ohio County has been arrested on unrelated charges.

Billie J. Smith, 49, of Reynolds Station, was arrested by Kentucky State Police on Sunday when troopers searching for the missing baby at Smith’s residence learned she had a warrant for her arrest stemming from a domestic altercation in October 2023. She was charged with second-degree assault and lodged in the Ohio County Detention Center on a $25,000 cash bond.

Smith’s granddaughter, eight-month-old Miya Rudd (referred to as Miya Tucker in previous press releases), has not been seen in a month and her parents, 29-year-old Tesla Tucker and 30-year-old Cage C. Rudd, are not cooperating with investigators. Both were arrested Wednesday night.

Rudd was charged with abandonment of a minor, first-degree criminal abuse of a child (under the age of 12), two counts of possession of a controlled substance (fentanyl, methamphetamine), first-degree promoting contraband, possession of marijuana, trafficking in a controlled substance (methamphetamine), trafficking in a legend drug, trafficking in marijuana, engaging in organized crime, and possession of drug paraphernalia.

He’s being held in the Daviess County Detention Center on two bonds totaling $120,000.

Tucker, who was initially jailed in Daviess County, was transferred Friday evening to the Ohio County Detention Center where she’s been charged with criminal abuse of a child (under the age of 12), child abandonment, trafficking in a controlled substance (methamphetamine), trafficking in a legend drug, trafficking in marijuana, engaging in organized crime, and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Her bond has been set at $100,000 cash.

Also arrested in the case on Wednesday was 56-year-old Ricky J. Smith, of Reynolds Station. He was charged with criminal abuse of a child (under the age of 12), trafficking and possession of a controlled substance (methamphetamine), trafficking in a legend drug, trafficking in marijuana, engaging in organized crime, possession of a handgun by a convicted felon, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, first-degree persistent felony offender, and possession of drug paraphernalia.

He’s being held in the Daviess County Detention Center on a $100,000 cash bond.

Arrested at the same time on Sunday as Billie J. Smith was 37-year-old Timothy L. Roach, of Owensboro, who state police said was observed tossing unprescribed Suboxone under his vehicle as it sat in Billie J. Smith’s driveway. He was charged with possession of a controlled substance (drug unspecified) and prescription controlled substance not in its proper container and lodged in the Ohio County Detention Center.

Police, who continue to search for Miya, said she has brown hair and green eyes.

Anyone with information on Miya’s location is asked to contact Kentucky State Police at 270-826-3312 or your local law enforcement.

(Photo l-r: Cage C. Rudd, Tesla Tucker)