Updated Nov. 20: Mario Andrette McNeill is being charged with first-degree murder and first-degree rape of a child in the death of 5-year-old Shaniya Davis, Fayetteville Police Chief Tom Bergamine told reporters at a news conference Thursday, Nov. 19. Preliminary test results point to asphyxiation as the cause of death, said Bergamine, adding that testing has not yet been completed. According to WRAL-TV, investigators have not yet figured out where Shaniya was killed, but Bergamine said he did not believe it was at the hotel.
As previously reported, McNeill was allegedly seen in surveillance video footage carrying Shaniya into a hotel in Sanford, NC on Nov. 10. He was jailed on kidnapping charges in the case after turning himself in on Nov. 12.
Updated Nov. 17: The father of 5-year-old Shaniya Davis shared his grief with around 500 people Monday evening during a prayer vigil in a store parking lot about 40 miles from where the girl's body was found. "Lord, I come to you with open arms and it is hard. It is hard," Bradley Lockhart cried out in prayer. "Don't give up on me and don't give up on Shaniya. She's right there with you." (To see AP video of the prayer vigil, go here)
Meanwhile, the mother who is accused of selling Shaniya for sex, Antoinette Davis, entered no plea during a brief court appearance Monday. She is being held on $51,000 bail. According to the Fayetteville Observer, a boyfriend who was a previous suspect said that Davis is pregnant with his child. That boyfriend, Clarence Coe, has since been cleared of all suspicion in the case. Davis has at least one other child, a seven-year-old.
When I heard Sunday night that police were calling off the search for 5-year-old Shaniya Davis for the evening, I was baffled and angry. How could they stop looking for this little North Carolina girl, who was reportedly sold into prostitution by her own mother, even for a second? I didn't want to entertain the obvious: that they knew she was probably dead.
Now the horrible truth is official. Searchers found Shaniya's body Monday along a local highway, say police. A couple hundred volunteers had scoured miles of landscape, roads, ravines and fields on four-wheelers and with helicopters to find her.
As previously posted by Dr. Boyce Watkins, the youngster's mother, 25-year-old Antoinette Davis has been charged with human trafficking and felony child abuse and is accused of offering Shaniya for prostitution. Police have also charged 29-year-old Mario Andrette McNeill, who was allegedly seen in surveillance video footage, carrying Shaniya into a hotel. Police say McNeill admitted to kidnapping the girl, although he is expected to plead not guilty to the charge.
Shaniya had only been living with her mother for several weeks. She had been raised by her father, Bradley Lockhart, who allowed her to live with her mom after Davis said she had gotten a new job and a new home. Shaniya had been the result of a "one-night stand," claimed Lockhart, although he said they never had issues about raising Shaniya. Understandably, he now says he regrets the decision to send Shaniya to live with her mother.
Much has been made of the interracial aspect of this case on the Black Voices message boards. Davis is black and Lockhart is white. That has led to all kinds of unfounded speculation that Lockhart was a john and Davis a prostitute, blah, blah, blah. I can't for the life of me understand why people get caught up in such details, when what really matters is that this child was truly loved by her father and truly betrayed by her mother (if what she's charged with turns out to be true).
Lest we forget how much Shaniya was loved, take a look at the video below. This morning, Lockhart and his sister pleaded for Shaniya's safe return on CBS News' 'The Early Show.'
Now she's safe in the arms of the angels.
Watch CBS News Videos Online
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Sheryl Huggins Salomon is contributing editor of Black Voices, where she writes about politics and society. She is co-editor of the 'Nia Guide for Black Women' series of self-improvement books and the former publisher of Shade magazine. Follow her on Twitter or contact her at BVCEditor@aol.com.
Comments: (47)
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By: ANGRYVIEWER on 11/16/2009 3:50PM
The TROLLS made this baby's situation a racial issue. THEY MAKE EVERYTHING A RACIAL ISSUE. THEY WILL MAKE HER DEATH A RACIAL ISSUE AS WELL. NO SUBJECT/SITUATION IS OFF LIMITS. IT TAKES SOMEONE WITH A MIND OF A SOCIOPATH TO MINIMIZE THE CIRCUMSTANCES SURROUNDING THIS CHILD'S LIFE AND DEATH; BUT "THEY" WILL.
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By: Fay on 11/16/2009 5:10PM
Safe in the arms of angels? I think not. If so, where were the angels when Shaniya needed them most?
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By: SHANTRELL on 11/16/2009 5:27PM
YOU HAVE THE NERVE TO SAY I AM COMING OFF AS A RACIST WHEN YOU SEEM TO BE A STREIGHT UP ATHIEST? THIS IS YOUR STATEMENT AND I QUOTE " SAFE IN THE ARMS OF ANGELS? I THINK NOT, IF SO WHERE WERE THE ANGELS WHEN SHANIYA NEEDED THEM MOST?" BUT YOU ARE ONE TO TALK ABOUT SOMEONE BEING RACIST... LOL OH BY THE WAY, MR OR MS FAY, I AM ALSO BI-RACIAL SO I THINK THE JOKES ON YOU..... IDIOT.
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By: Lisa on 11/17/2009 5:37AM
Some of you are just disgusting. This prescious girl was dumped on a road like trash and all you can do is argue over who is racist, who is an atheist, who was a ho, etc. The hateful need to go somewhere else. You do not belong here.
REST IN PEACE BABY GIRL. MY HEART BREAKS FOR YOU. YOU DID NOT DESERVE THIS LIFE.
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By: shantrell on 11/16/2009 4:29PM
HOLD ON FOR A MINUTE, HAS THE MOTHER CONFESS TO ANY CRIME? I SEE KNOW MENTION OF A CONFESSION OF THE MOTHER IN THIS ARTICLE WHICH LEAD ME TO BELIEVE THAT THEIR IS NONE... WHOS TO SAY THAT THIS CHILD HAD NOT BEEN ABUSED OR MOLESTED EVEN BEFORE SHE WAS GIVEN BACK OVER TO THE MOTHER BY THE FATHER? WHO KNOWS IF THE TAPE EXIST, WHO KNOWS IF THE COPS ARE TELLING THE TRUTH ABOUT THE MOM. I MEAN JUST LOOK AT THE FACES OF THE FATHER AND THE GRANDMOTHER.. THEY LOOK AS IF THEY (THEMSELVES) ARE HARD DOWN RACIST CRIMINALS. THEN HE TRY TO JUSTIFY HIS ACTIONS OF BEING WITH THIS BLACK WOMAN BY SAYING IT WAS A ONE NIGHT STAND? HMMM. WHO KNOWS WHAT REALL GOES ON BEHIND CLOSED DOORS IN THE DARK HUH? IF THAT LITTLE BEAUTIFUL CHILD WAS HURT ABUSED OR MOLESTED, I WOULD REALLY LOOK IN THE FATHER'S DIRECTION BECAUSE THEY BELIEVE IN BEING WITH THEIR OWN CHILDREN IN THAT MANNER...I SIILL WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF THEY HAVE REAL TRUE EVIDENCE ON THE MOM OR IF IT IS JUST TRUMPED UP CIRCUMSTANTIAL MESS THAT COPS MADE UP TO MAKE THE MOM LOOK AS IF SHE IS THE COPERATE.
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By: Fay on 11/16/2009 5:10PM
You know, YOU, are coming off as the racist. You should take a look in the mirror.
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By: captain midnight on 11/16/2009 8:30PM
You really need mental help
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By: usuck on 11/16/2009 8:41PM
you are a twisted racist...disgusting...how dare you even suggest such ignorant things...where was the mama's plea for her safe return???...ur a creep
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By: Jane on 11/17/2009 12:42AM
In this case, I will give the Father the benefit of the doubt over the mother. Between the two, clearly he appears to be the better parent.
And since "THEY" are so worried about race I'm a Black woman. However, if "THEY" believe in evolution then we are all mixed.
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By: Tracey on 11/24/2009 12:40AM
You are a truly sick person. Go get some help. The statement "I WOULD REALLY LOOK IN THE FATHER'S DIRECTION BECAUSE THEY BELIEVE IN BEING WITH THEIR OWN CHILDREN IN THAT MANNER" is straight garbage. How could you even suggest this man had something to do with this because he is white? They have video tape of a black man holding hear shortly after her mother reported her missing. He confessed to taking her. All you have done is make yourself sound ignorant by blaming the poor innocent father that thought he was doing a good thing by letting a child have a relationship with her mother. And his other daughter is also half white and black. So that kills the comment about him being ashamed of having a missed child. You are just as ignorant as them skin heads, kkk and the rest.
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