In 2016, Hayden’s parents lost custody of him after drug tests revealed they had been using cocaine. That same year, police discovered Hayden and his father in a motel room filled with heroin. His grandparents last heard from him at Christmas in 2019. Despite numerous attempts to contact the parents, they received little response other than assurances that everything was fine.

In 2022, Hayden’s father, Dustin Manis, claimed that CPS had taken his son, but it was later confirmed that CPS had never removed Hayden from the home. In 2024, Dustin reported that he had not heard from Hayden since 2020. On December 15th, Dustin passed away from an overdose.