After Pregnant N.C. Teen Is Found Dead in Her Car, Suspect Faces Two Murder Charges

Police have made an arrest in the homicide of a pregnant 18-year-old North Carolina woman found dead inside a car Sunday night who was carrying a full-term baby.

PEOPLE confirms Brian Little, 18, has been charged with first-degree murder and felony murder of an unborn child.

The Rockingham, North Carolina, man is accused of killing Aiyonna Clarice Barrett, whose body was found at around 8 p.m. Sunday in a car parked on a dirt road in Southern Pines.

Police have not yet specified how she or her unborn child died, and have also not revealed a possible motive.

It was unclear Friday if Little knew the victim.

Brian Little
Brian Little

Brian Little

An earlier statement from Southern Pines police says investigators plan to pursue “justice not only for Aiyonna Clarice Barrett,” a resident of Sanford, “but for her full-term unborn child as well.”

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Little, who is being held without bond, has not entered pleas to the two charges he faces.

Information on his attorney was unavailable Friday. Little is set to appear in court for his arraignment on April 24.

“This is devastating news for our family,” reads a statement issued by Aiyonna’s family in the wake of her death.

“Aiyonna was a prized member of our family and we were also eagerly awaiting the arrival of her baby girl. We are in shock and are looking forward for more information to be revealed by the law enforcement investigation on how and why this happened,” the statement continues. “Nothing will justify Aiyonna and her unborn baby girl being taken away from us but we expect justice to be served on the person who took them from us.”