3-Year-Old Girl Abducted From Birthday Party Died by Suffocation on Same Day of Kidnapping

Photo: AMBER ALERT - Kamille “cupcake” McKinney/Facebook

On Thursday, two suspects — Patrick Devone Stallworth and his girlfriend, Derick Irisha Brown — were charged with capital murder of a child under the age of 14. They could face the death penalty if convicted. Both are being held at the Jefferson County Jail without bond.

At Friday’s hearing, Stallworth reportedly told the judge, “I don’t understand why I was charged with murder of this child,” when asked if he had any questions.

Patrick Stallworth and Derick Brown.Birmingham Police Dept.

Stallworth was charged weeks agowith four counts of possession of obscene material of persons under 17 years of age and three counts of possession with intent to disseminate obscene material after allegedly discovering illicit imagery on his phone.

Birmingham Police Chief Patrick Smith said both suspects were first detained on Oct. 13— the day after Kamille vanished from an outdoor birthday party that was held in the common area of an apartment complex.

Brown has been in jail, without bond, since Oct. 13, after her probation was revoked following a 2018 case in which she was accused of abducting her three children from state custody.

In that case, Brown allegedly led cops on a chase on July 13, 2018, before crashing into an innocent motorist and then, a sheriff’s SUV. Her three children were in the vehicle during the pursuit and at the time of the crash, but were not injured.

Brown was charged at that time with three counts of kidnapping, second-degree assault, attempting to elude and four counts of reckless endangerment,according to AL.com. She is set to go on trial in that case on Nov. 18.

Neither suspect has a connection to Kamilleor her family, police have confirmed.

Investigators believe the pair had thought about committing such a crime, and allegedly seized the opportunity to abduct Kamille when they saw an opportunity.

Kamille McKinney.AMBER ALERT - Kamille “cupcake” McKinney/Facebook

It is unclear at this time what the obscene images allegedly found on Stallworth’s phone depict, but police said they involved underage girls, none of whom was Kamille.

The previous charges Stallworth had faced, police noted, are unrelated to 3-year-old Kamille’s disappearance and death.

Attorneys for them spoke to AL.com about the allegations in Kamille’s death.

“He’s just taken aback that he’s considered as a suspect in the disappearance of this lovely child,” Stallworth’s attorney Emory Anthony told the paper.

“Like everyone in our community, Ms. Brown is horrified about the ongoing tragedy involving Kamille McKinney. However, she adamantly denies having any personal knowledge or playing any role, direct or indirect, in this child’s abduction,”Danneman wrote in a statement to AL.com.

A memorial service for the little girl will be held at Birmingham, Alabama’s New Beginnings Christian Ministry on Sunday at 1 p.m.

source: people.com