KINGMAN — Detectives from the Mojave County Sheriff’s Department continue to investigate child abuse and abandonment of a dead 16-year-old man in Kingman. They arrested another person, Kingman’s Siobhan Gujda, 39, and charged her with child abuse.
On Tuesday, March 7, detectives participated in a forensic interview of the victim’s 14-year-old sister, according to an MCSO news release. She was being treated in an undisclosed location. She is said to have been held captive by Kingman Gzida and Richard Pounds, 34. A female boy showed Pound shot her in the eye with her BB gun, providing additional explanation for her domestic abuse.
Additional allegations of abuse were revealed during interviews. Gzida is initially identified as a roommate living at the Packard Mansion. On Wednesday, March 8, detectives responded to the residence and interviewed Gzida about the allegations.
At the end of the interview, Guzida was arrested for severe child abuse and an affirmative arrest warrant.
On February 25, an attorney was dispatched to Block 2300 Packard Avenue in Kingman in connection with the runaway boy allegation. Kingman’s Amber Leah Valentine, 41, and John Imes, 41, reported their 16-year-old son had run away from home.
Three days later, agents were dispatched to Kingman’s Anson Smith Road and Indian Canyon Road in connection with the death investigation. The body of an unidentified white man was found wrapped in a blanket behind a stone wall.
On Thursday, March 2, Valentine called the MCSO to report that she had just released her 14-year-old daughter, who had been held captive by Valentine’s roommates Pounds and Gzida. Both were referred to Kingman Regional Medical Center for treatment.
Valentine later admitted that she and Ames disposed of the corpse of their 16-year-old son behind a stone wall, and that she lied about him fleeing.
Valentine and Ames were taken into custody on felony abandonment/body concealment charges and were booked to the Mojave County Adult Detention Facility. With the assistance of her SWAT team in the city of Bullhead, a search warrant was issued for Packard’s 2300 Avenue block residence. Roommates Pounds and Gzida were taken into custody and interrogated at the Mojave County Sheriff’s Office.
After questioning, Pounds was arrested for severe child abuse and aggravated assault and booked into the Mojave County Adult Detention Center. Guzida was released pending further investigation, but was subsequently arrested.
The Mojave County Coroner’s Office performed an autopsy on the 16-year-old man on Saturday, March 4 to determine the cause of death. Autopsy results are pending. The MCSO said the case was still under investigation and additional charges were pending.
