Account
Feb 28, 2023
Jan 19, 2024
Orlando
Hugger JR
13
10
54 inches
65 lbs
75 lbs
Black / African American
Male
In the spring of 2021, a young boy named Orlando Jerron Hugger Jr. vanished from his life in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Ten years old at the time, he was last seen on March 18, 2021. For nearly two years, his absence went officially unnoticed by the outside world. Orlando, who was known as OJ, and his older sister had been withdrawn from school by their mother, Camille Rechae Lewis, and their stepfather, John Lawrence Miles III, the year prior. This isolation created a veil of privacy behind which a tragic story unfolded, hidden from the view of concerned relatives, including his biological father who had been prevented from seeing him since 2019. It wasn't until January 27, 2023, that the silence was broken when Orlando's maternal grandmother contacted the police. She reported that she hadn't seen or heard from her grandson in years and feared he might be dead. Her fears were compounded by the condition of Orlando's sister, who had come to live with her in September 2022 and was described as being "skin and bones" from malnourishment. The grandmother's report launched a harrowing investigation into the life Orlando and his sister endured. Investigators soon learned of severe and prolonged abuse inflicted upon the children by their mother and stepfather. According to the sister's testimony, she and Orlando were subjected to horrific torture, including being beaten with cords and belts and locked in closets for extended periods without access to a bathroom. The children were also deprived of food. The investigation uncovered a grim narrative surrounding Orlando's disappearance. His sister told authorities that in March 2021, she heard her mother crying and trying to wake Orlando. Her mother later told her that Orlando had a seizure and died. Fearing they would get into trouble, his mother and stepfather did not seek medical help. Instead, they allegedly took steps to conceal his death. The initial account given by Orlando's sister was that Miles and a cousin buried the boy's body in a park. Later, fearing the grave was too shallow, Miles is said to have unearthed the remains, brought them back to their residence, burned them in a barrel, and then disposed of the ashes in a storm drain. Camille Lewis initially gave conflicting statements, claiming Orlando had run away in the fall of 2022. However, the weight of the investigation led to charges of child abuse and neglect for both Lewis and Miles in February 2023. These charges were later upgraded to second-degree murder. John Miles III was convicted of first-degree murder by child abuse, among numerous other charges of abuse and neglect, and sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Camille Lewis, who testified against Miles, pleaded guilty to charges including second-degree murder and was sentenced to 35 years in prison. Despite extensive searches involving drones, dogs, and ground-penetrating radar, Orlando's remains have never been found. The case of Orlando Hugger Jr. is a deeply disturbing story of abuse that ended in the tragic loss of a young life, a loss that went unacknowledged for far too long.
Mar 18, 2021
Tulsa
Oklahoma
Tulsa County
74145
No
123514
Tulsa Police Department
Tulsa
Oklahoma
Tulsa County
74103
Paula Maker
Detective
600 Civic Center, Oklahoma
9185969143
Local
Law Enforcement
2023002753
2023-01-17
Tulsa Police Department
na
Black
Brown
Brown
06/09/2026
