A 3-year-old Alabama girl who was found dead in a dumpster this week was reportedly asphyxiated.
During a court hearing on Friday, Judge Clyde Jones read warrants for capital murder suspects Patrick Stallworth, 39, and Derick Brown, 29, which revealed Kamille McKinney’s cause of death. Court documents also disclosed that the toddler died on October 12, the same day she vanished from a birthday party in Birmingham, according to WIAT.
Outside of court, Jefferson County District Attorney Danny Carr told reporters that they believe McKinney was suffocated.
JEFFERSON COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY DANNY CARR SPEAKS ABOUT THE LATEST IN 'CUPCAKE' INVESTIGATION
THE LATEST ON 'CUPCAKE |' Jefferson County District Attorney Danny Carr speaks to Robert Sherman CBS 42 about the investigation into the murder of 3-year-old, Kamille "Cupcake" McKinney.Both murder suspects, Patrick Stallworth and Derick Brown appeared in court for the first time and received no bond.DETAILS:http://bit.ly/31SJaqY
Posted by CBS 42 on Friday, October 25, 2019
McKinney was last seen alive on October 12 at a birthday party at the Tom Brown Village public housing community. Children who attended the party reportedly said a man was handing out candy before he put the barefoot toddler in a Toyota Sequoia and drove off.
Though the toddler’s body was reportedly discarded in a dumpster at the Woodside Condominiums in Center Point, authorities said her body was discovered at the Santek Waste Services Landfill in Gardendale on Tuesday at 5:16 p.m.
Hours later, Birmingham Police Chief Patrick Smith told reporters that they sifted through 12 tons of garbage that was picked up around the city and sent to the landfill.
Stallworth and Brown were taken into custody at the condos a day after McKinney’s disappearance. The Toyota Sequoia that was sought in the investigation was reportedly located at the residence.
While in custody as a person of interest, Stallworth was charged with multiple counts of child pornography after investigators reportedly found photos of young girls on his phone. They said the images did not show the missing toddler.
Brown has remained in custody as authorities filed a motion to revoke her bond in an unrelated 2018 abduction case involving her three children and the Department of Human Resources.
Stallworth and Brown were ordered to remain jailed without bond. Brown was appointed a public defender while Stallworth was given time to hire an attorney. Their next court date is scheduled for November 4.
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[Featured image: Kamille McKinney/Facebook]