BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Police said they discovered the remains of a 3-year-old believed to be that of a girl that has been missing for more than a week.
3-year-old Kamille "Cupcake" McKinney had been reported missing on Oct. 12. An AMBER Alert had been issued in the desperate search to find her.
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Police said that search appears to have come to an end with the latest discovery.
According to Birmingham Police Chief Patrick Smith, police and FBI agents discovered the body of a 3-year-old inside a dumpster that had been taken to a landfill in the area.
Last week, police arrested two people, Patrick Stallworth, 39, and Derick Brown, 29 on child porn charges. Once the body is confirmed to be that of 3-year-old McKinney, they said the two will also face capital murder and kidnapping charges.
Police swarmed an apartment complex last Wednesday after receiving a credible tip about the case-- saying the dumpster the body had been found in had initially been located not too far from the complex.
According to Smith, police had been working tirelessly around the clock to find the young girl.
Police said locating the girl's remains were the 'last pieces of the puzzle' to bring charges against the two suspects.
Emotionally shaken during the press conference, Smith pleaded with the public to be diligent to protect children.
"It only takes a split second. We can no longer assume that everyone is a part of the village that is trying to raise the child. We cannot take those things for granted," he said. "This young child has touched a nation... sending a message that we all must be diligent to protect them all."
Birmingham mayor Randall Woodfin said the city and entire nation is in mourning.
"I think it's the hardest for [Kamille's mother and father], who have received this information and I know without a doubt are in tears right now. But they are not in tears alone, they are not crying alone, they are not mourning alone. Tonight our entire city is mourning," he said.
Smith said the department intentionally kept the girl's family out of the spotlight during the investigation.
"That was our call not to put the mother out there. Our call not to put the family out there. This is not a movie, this is reality. At that time, we did not see a benefit of throwing the mother out there in front of the camera... when we knew the pieces of the puzzle we were trying to put together," Smith said.
Smith thanked the public for all they did in trying to bring the young child home.
"It is my prayer that the city of Birmingham will remain in prayer with her family and we will do what we can to honor the life of this young child... how very short it was," he said.