‘Deeply disturbing.’ 4-year-old girl buried in NC backyard since September, police say

A 4-year-old girl whose remains were found in the backyard of a north Charlotte home last week had been missing for eight months, investigators say. Her mother now faces a murder charge in what police call a “deeply disturbing” case.

Miegellic “Jelli” Young went to visit her mother, Malikah Bennett, at the home in the 3700 block of Braden Drive in early September 2020, Charlotte-Mecklenburg police said during a news conference Monday. She had not been seen since then, police said.

Early Friday, police responded to a call to the home about a missing child. After an investigation, authorities suspected foul play was involved in Miegellic’s disappearance, police said. A search warrant was obtained and police recovered the remains of a young girl, who investigators say they believe to be Miegellic. Her mother was later arrested and charged.

“It’s very difficult to understand how someone can kill their child, bury them and move on with their life as if nothing has happened,” police Lt. Bryan Crum said Monday. “I’ve worked homicide for the last 10 years, and I can tell you that this case is deeply disturbing.”

Bennett, 31, was charged with felony child abuse, inflicting physical injury, felony concealing a death and first-degree murder. She was denied bond at a court hearing Monday.

She also has three pending misdemeanor child abuse charges from February 2020, according to a public records search.

Her boyfriend, who police did not name, also lived at the home. Police did not charge him, and Crum said they “can definitively say that he’s not responsible” for Miegellic’s death because he had an alibi.

Miegellic lived in an “abusive environment” that ultimately resulted in her death, Crum said. The medical examiner’s office hasn’t disclosed how Miegellic died, he said.

Police also said they are checking with the Mecklenburg County Department of Social Services to see if the agency knew about possible abuse at the home.

Anyone with information is asked to call the CMPD homicide unit at 704-432-8477 or leave an anonymous Crime Stoppers tip at 704-334-1600.

Staff writer Gavin Off contributed to this story.

This story is developing. Check back for updates.