Lowndes County grand jury indicts 16-year-old on felony charges
A Lowndes County grand jury has indicted 16-year-old Jayden Rager on multiple felony charges, and he was arrested and is being prosecuted as an adult, the Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office said in a Facebook post.
The indictment stems from two separate investigations by the sheriff’s office Criminal Investigation Division, the post said. The charges arising from the first incident include aggravated assault and kidnapping. The second incident resulted in a charge of sexual battery.
Rager has been taken into custody and is being held at the Lowndes County Adult Detention Center awaiting an initial court appearance, the sheriff’s office said. At this time, no bond has been set. The case has been turned over to District Attorney Scott Colom for prosecution and will proceed through Lowndes County Circuit Court.
Under Mississippi law, juveniles can be prosecuted as adults for certain serious offenses, and the sheriff’s office said the decision to file adult charges reflected the seriousness of the allegations. As with all criminal proceedings, the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. No additional information will be released at this time. This is a developing story and will be updated as more details emerge.
