What happened to Ja’Via Harris? Authorities believe missing South Carolina 4-year-old girl dead; parents arrested
Find the missing person south carolina The girl’s condition took a shocking turn after investigators announced they now believed she was dead. The parents of four-year-old Javeayah Harris have been arrested on charges related to the killing and the investigation is ongoing, Fox13 reports.
The Aiken County Sheriff’s Office said Harris was last seen Tuesday, June 30, around 8:15 p.m. and was initially reported missing. She was last seen near the intersection of Hillsborough Street and Ridgecrest Road in Aiken County.
“The evidence leads us to believe that 4-year-old Javeayah Harris is dead”
Harris’ disappearance triggered a massive search by the Aiken County Sheriff’s Office, FBI (FBI), the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED), and multiple local and regional agencies. Aiken County Sheriff Marty Sawyer announced at a recent press conference that investigators now believe the child is dead.
“This has been the hardest decision I have made in my 36 years in law enforcement,” Sawyer said. “It is with great sadness that I tell you that our investigation and evidence lead us to believe that 4-year-old Javeayah Harris is deceased.”
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The sheriff said an investigation showed Harris had been dead for at least a month before calling 911 to report him missing on June 30. Sawyer added that the search is ongoing as investigators work to find Harris and bring her home. Law enforcement is currently conducting a search in an area of ​​interest outside Aiken County.
Sawyer said investigators believed “by the time the 911 call came in on June 30, it was too late to save her.”
Parents arrested
Sawyer announced that Harris’ parents, Jomariah Harris and Michale Herring, had been arrested. Father Johmarea, 23, charged with kill Michilae Herring, a 22-year-old mother, was charged with child abuse homicide and filing a false report to police.
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Additional charges may be filed as the case progresses, according to authorities.
Sawyer thanked the FBI, SLED, neighboring Sheriff’s Offices, local police departments, emergency management officials, volunteer firefighters and various law enforcement agencies across South Carolina for their assistance throughout the investigation. He also thanked community members who supported the search efforts.
