Remains Of Missing 4-Year-Old Girl Found Buried In Backyard: CMPD

CHARLOTTE, NC — A 31-year-old woman has been charged with first-degree murder, child abuse and concealing a death after the remains of her 4-year-old daughter were unearthed in the backyard of a north Charlotte home, police said Monday.

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department began investigating the disappearance of the girl — identified as Migellic Young — early Friday morning after receiving a report that the child "had been missing for some time," CMPD Homicide Detective Lt. Bryan Crum said Monday during a news conference.

According to the report, Migellic had not been seen since going to visit her mother, Malikah Diane Bennett, last September, Crum said.

Officers responded to a home in the 3700 block of Braden Drive on May 21 and investigators became concerned about information they received about the child's location.

"Very quickly they became concerned that there may be foul play involved," Crum said. "Certainly that's concerning when no one can account for a child for that period of time."

According to CMPD, several individuals, including Bennett, voluntarily came to CMPD headquarters to speak with detectives. Following those interviews, investigators obtained a search warrant for the Braden Drive home, where they located human remains of a 4-year-old girl in the backyard.

Investigators believe the remains have been buried since September, Crum said.

Bennett was identified as the primary suspect, police said. She was arrested and charged with felony child abuse; inflicting physical injury; felony concealing a death; and first-degree murder, CMPD said.

"I can tell you today that we believe that those remains belong to Migellic," Crum said, adding that the remains had not yet been positively identified. "Because of the investigation, it's going to take a little bit of time to positively identify her, but I can tell you the totality of the circumstances indicate it is her," he said.

"This case is deeply disturbing," Crum said. "It's very difficult to understand how someone could do this to their child, kill their child, and bury them and move on with their life as if nothing happened. It's really, truly shocked everyone to their core who's had any involvement in this case."

CMPD said the investigation into the case remains active and ongoing and that anyone with information about this incident is asked to call 704-432-TIPS and speak directly to a Homicide Unit detective.