Gregory Jean Jr behind false wall allegedly in video sweeping roof of house

Posted by Reinaldo Massengill on Thursday, May 2, 2024

A video of the 13-year-old who was found behind a false wall after going missing for four years has surfaced - purportedly showing him sweeping the roof of the house he was held captive in.

Footage recorded by neighbors reportedly shows Gregory Jean Jr on top of his father's house in Jonesboro, a suburb of Atlanta, Georgia.

They told ABC that they would watch as the boy did yard work but decided to film what was going on when they saw him getting close to the edge of the house off the ground.

The youngster was rescued over the weekend after going to visit Gregory Jean, 37, in 2010. He has been charged with false imprisonment and cruelty alongside the boy's stepmother, Samantha Joy Davis, 42.

On Monday, he revealed how he used his phone to contact his mother while he was being kept in the house.

Scroll down for video 

Concerned neighbors recorded footage of Gregory Jean Jr, who was help captive in a house in a suburb of Atlanta, Georgia, for four years, allegedly sweeping the roof 

Concerned neighbors recorded footage of Gregory Jean Jr, who was help captive in a house in a suburb of Atlanta, Georgia, for four years, allegedly sweeping the roof 

Gregory Jean Jr, the 13-year-old boy who was found behind a false wall at the weekend after going missing for four years has told how he used his phone to contact his biological mother. Pictured: Gregory Jean Jr in an undated photo

The residents said they would watch as the boy did chores in the backyard, but only started recording when he was working dangerously close to the edge above the ground  

Reunited: Gregory Jean Jr,  is pictured being reunited with his Florida-based mother, Lisa Smith, after he was found imprisoned behind a false wall in the linen closet of his father's Georgia home four years after going missing

Reunited: Gregory Jean Jr,  is pictured being reunited with his Florida-based mother after he was found imprisoned behind a false wall in the linen closet of his father's Georgia home four years after going missing

Captors: Father Gregory Jean, 37 (pictured), and stepmother Samantha Joy Davis, 42, are expected to appear in court Sunday morning on charges of false imprisonment, obstruction and cruelty to a child. Three other minors were also arrested at the house where the unnamed boy was found Captors: Father Gregory Jean, 37, and stepmother Samantha Joy Davis, 42 (pictured), are expected to appear in court Sunday morning on charges of false imprisonment, obstruction and cruelty to a child. Three other minors were also arrested at the house where the unnamed boy was found

Captors: Father Gregory Jean, 37 (left), and stepmother Samantha Joy Davis, 42 (right), appeared in court Sunday morning on charges of false imprisonment, obstruction and cruelty to a child after Jean's son was found hidden behind a linen closet at their home

Gregory Jean Jr. said: 'I just went on [Google] Play Store and I downloaded an app called Magic Jack and I called my mom.'

It is not clear how the teenager managed to get hold of the phone, but once downloaded the App allows users free calling to the US and Canada.

RELATED ARTICLES

Share this article

Share

Gregory went missing in 2010, when he went to visit his father Gregory Jean, 37, and his stepmother Samantha Joy Davis, 42 - the pair are both charged with the false imprisonment and cruelty against Gregory at their home in Jonesboro, a suburb of Atlanta, Georgia.

Davis is on probation for punishing her biological son by cutting his tongue with a pair of hot scissors in 2004. 

Today his biological mother, Lisa Smith told CBS46 she had talked to her son a few times during the four-year period he was missing and said their emotional reunion 'feels good.'

She said she now has custody of Gregory and added that she was a U.S. citizen but refused to comment on why she had not reported her son missing.

A press conference today revealed that the 'hidden compartment' where Gregory was found, was an attic space connected to a garage by a crawl-through in a linen closet.

First appearance: Jean (left) and David (right) take the stand in Clayton County, Georgia court on Sunday. They were remanded

When police attended the home at 11pm on Friday they could originally not find the boy, but Gregory then gave them more details and they returned - he was found behind the 'access panel' at 2am.

'The victim had signs of physical assault and was very emotionally distraught,' Clayton County Police Chief Gregory Porter said, reports NBC News.

The police supervisor who found him said that after he calmed down, Gregory kept repeating his thanks and gratitude.

Police said Gregory had been in the attic area 'temporarily' and actually shared a bedroom with one of the other juveniles in the home.

In court on Sunday, a judge revealed that Davis allegedly hit the boy on his buttocks and legs with a stick.

Arrests: The boy went missing in 2010, when he went to see his father and never returned. His mother allegedly never informed police since she is an immigrant and unfamiliar with the system. Above, the house where he was held captive

Arrests: The boy went missing in 2010, when he went to see his father and never returned. His mother allegedly never informed police since she is an immigrant and unfamiliar with the system. Above, the house where he was held captive

No clue: Neighbors in the Jonesboro neighborhood said they often saw the boy outside the house, and never thought he was being held prisoner

No clue: Neighbors in the Jonesboro neighborhood said they often saw the boy outside the house, and never thought he was being held prisoner

He denied a bond after learning that Davis is currently on probation in Henry County for child cruelty. 

The judge also denied a bond for Jean and said a fugitive of justice case appeared on the record of Jean, who is a U.S. citizen from Haiti.

'They dismissed the case,' Jean insisted. 'That was not me. They had the wrong person.' 

Judge Richard Brown refused both suspects bail and they were remanded to Clayton County Jail until their next appearance on December 9. 

There is no indication Gregory attended school, and neighbors have said they often saw him doing yard work. 

Neighbors in the Atlanta, Georgia suburb have spoken out to say they saw the boy often and never knew he was being held against his will.

Investigation: CID officers are pictured arriving at the house on Saturday morning. An investigation is ongoing

Investigation: CID officers are pictured arriving at the house on Saturday morning. An investigation is ongoing

Jean's neighbor's in the Atlanta suburb of  Jonesboro were shocked to hear that the Gregory was a prisoner.

They say they often saw him outside the house, sometimes doing yard work. 

'It was a shock to all of us. They were really nice people, very open they said come over anytime you want,' neighbor Julie Pizarro, who lives across the street told WXIA. 'The young man didn't seem under any distress. I guess you never know what's behind closed doors.'

'Gosh, it was right under our nose,' neighbor Akono Ekundayo said. 'We could have done something.'    

Proud: Police Chief Greg Porter (pictured) said: 'The police department did an excellent job coming out here and responding to the 911 emergency call. We have five individuals who have been charged with various charges' One of the boy's relatives weeps after being reunited with him

Proud: Police Chief Greg Porter (left) said: 'The police department did an excellent job coming out here and responding to the 911 emergency call.' Right, one of the boy's relatives weeps after being reunited with him

Scene: Police have now requested a search warrant for the property in Duke Court (pictured)

Scene: Police have now requested a search warrant for the property in Duke Court (pictured)

In heart-wrenching scenes on Saturday morning, Gregory was pictured clinging on to his weeping mother, who had traveled to Georgia, as another female relative sobbed uncontrollably nearby in an emotional reunion.

Sergeant Joanne Southerland, of Clayton County Police Department, told the news station: 'We came here to the home and were able to get inside and talk to the people inside.

'After several minutes of denying that the child was here and that there was ever any assault or anything like that, we were able to find him in the linen closet.'

Officer Daniel Day added: 'I just couldn't believe it. We found him, we saw him. To say it was a great feeling is an understatement. He just couldn't thank us enough, he was overjoyed we had found him.'

 

ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7pa3IpbCmmZmhe6S7ja6iaKaVrMBwrdGtoJyklWJ%2FeYGVcWpxZ4aesaa7jJqjpZ2XmrGtxYysn6ivo2K6qr%2FSoqWgZZKkxm6ywKWqnmWnlrmteaaepqufmZZ6tMPEnqeippdiv7C7xWafqK2jmnqpscudZJyZoKm2t7GMoqVnoKSiuQ%3D%3D