Court records: 4-year-old girl reported missing was dead for weeks, stored in bags

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — A girl’s remains were believed to have been found late Thursday night in Memphis, Tennessee, after she was reported missing earlier in the day.

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In a news release, Memphis Police Department Chief Cerelyn Davis said that late Thursday night, officers found a body that was believed to have belonged to a missing child, Sequoia Samuels. The remains were found near the apartment where the girl lived with her family.

Memphis Police and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation called off the search Friday, according to WREG.

“It is with heavy hearts that we share the search for four-year-old Sequoia Samuels has ended as investigators believe she is deceased. We wish comfort for all of those who knew and loved her,” the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation said in a statement.

Sequoia, 4, who used a feed tube, was believed to be seen last on security camera footage walking out of her house the night before. Her mother, Britteny Jackson, reportedly told police on Thursday that she was at home with the rest of her family and she last saw her just before midnight when she put her to bed, WREG reported. When Jackson woke up, she realized Sequoia was missing and called the police.

Jackson’s story reportedly changed, the news outlet reported. In court records, Jackson allegedly told police her boyfriend, Jaylon Hobson had attacked Sequoia a couple of times over the last few weeks. When she was attacked last, she was left unconscious. Hobson couldn’t revive her and her mother didn’t try to help.

Hobson reportedly then put the girl’s body into garbage bags and stored them in the apartment, according to court records obtained by WREG.

“Jackson maintained the corpse for several weeks” until the bags were dumped into a garbage container at the apartment, according to a statement obtained by the news outlet.

Hobson denied any involvement in the girl’s death, WHBQ reported.

Jackson was arrested on Friday just a day after her daughter was reported missing, according to the news outlet.

Jackson has been charged with aggravated child neglect, abuse of a corpse, and filing a false police report, WHBQ reported. Hobson was arrested as well. Hobson was charged with filing a false police report, according to court records.

The Department of Children’s Services confirmed to WREG that they had prior contact with the family and had opened an investigation.

The manner and cause of death has not been released.