Body of Missing 5-Year-Old Found in Sewage Drain
Ohio police found a body they believe to be that of missing 5-year-old foster child Darnell Taylor, ending a search and Amber Alert issued two days earlier in tragedy.
Columbus Police Chief Elaine Bryant said the body was found in a sewage drain around 1 a.m. on Friday morning after cops responded to a report of a woman walking “suspiciously” around an apartment complex.
Police identified the woman as Pammy Maye, Taylor’s foster mother. Maye was taken into police custody, treated at a local hospital, and interviewed, leading investigators to “develop information that Darnell’s body may be in a sewage drain.”
They are investigating the child’s death as a homicide.
“We will be in consultation with the prosecutor’s office to add murder to Ms. Maye’s charges,” Bryant said during a news conference.
Maye had made disturbing statements that led her husband to “believe that their foster child, Darnell had been hurt,” prompting a 911 call to police on Wednesday morning. Maye had left in the middle of the night with their car, which was found abandoned hours later.
“This is not the outcome that we wanted,” Bryant said. “But we’re going to do everything we can to bring justice for Darnell.”
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