‘Deeply disturbing.’ 4-year-old girl buried in NC backyard since September, police say

A 4-year-old girl whose remains were found in the backyard of a north Charlotte home last week had been missing for eight months, investigators say. Her mother now faces a murder charge in what police call a “deeply disturbing” case.

Miegellic “Jelli” Young went to visit her mother, Malikah Bennett, at the home in the 3700 block of Braden Drive in early September 2020, Charlotte-Mecklenburg police said during a news conference Monday. Miegellic had not been seen since, police said.

Early Friday, officers responded to a call to the home about a missing child. After an investigation, authorities suspected foul play, police said. A search warrant was obtained, and police recovered the remains of a young girl, who investigators say they believe to be Miegellic. Her mother was later arrested and charged.

“It’s very difficult to understand how someone can kill their child, bury them and move on with their life as if nothing has happened,” police Lt. Bryan Crum said Monday. “I’ve worked homicide for the last 10 years, and I can tell you that this case is deeply disturbing.”

Bennett, 31, was charged with felony child abuse, inflicting physical injury, felony concealing a death and first-degree murder. She was denied bond at a court hearing Monday.

She also has three pending misdemeanor child abuse charges from February 2020, according to a search of public records.

Bennett’s boyfriend, who police did not name, also lived at the home. Police “can definitively say that he’s not responsible” for Miegellic’s death because he had an alibi, Crum said.

Miegellic lived in an “abusive environment” that ultimately resulted in her death, Crum said.

The medical examiner’s office hasn’t disclosed how Miegellic died, he said.

Police also said they are checking with the Mecklenburg County Department of Social Services about the agency’s knowledge of possible abuse at the home.

In an email to the Observer on Monday, a DSS spokesman offered its condolences to Miegellic’s family but said the agency would not release any information about the case.

“Due to the ongoing criminal investigation, we cannot release information that is likely to jeopardize the state’s ability to prosecute the defendant, is likely to jeopardize the defendant’s right to a fair trial, is likely to undermine an ongoing or future criminal investigation and could cause mental or physical harm or danger to a minor child residing in the deceased child’s household,” DSS said.

Police on Monday did not offer information about other children in the home.

Anyone with information is asked to call the CMPD homicide unit at 704-432-8477 or leave an anonymous Crime Stoppers tip at 704-334-1600.

Concerns about child abuse and neglect should be reported to DSS’ 24-hour hotline at 980-314-3577.

Miegellic a ‘special little girl’

Family members stood in front of Mecklenburg County Courthouse on Monday with “Justice for Jelli” signs and purple t-shirts with Miegellic’s face printed on them.

Miegellic was a happy, outspoken “diva,” and a fan of Burger King, or what she called “Burger Ring,” her aunts told the Observer.

“She’s a very smart and bright child,” Sabrina Baker said about her niece. “When you see her, she would just make your heart melt. You know how you can just look at a child and see an angel? That’s Jelli.”

Lip gloss, makeup and Snapchat intrigued Miegellic, even though she was only 4.

“She was gonna make sure she was seen and her lip gloss poppin’,” Baker said. “She was definitely a diva.”

Miegellic also liked unicorns, pocketbooks, Peppa Pig, cheesy tots from Burger King and pancakes, Kendra Wade, another aunt, said.

“(She) and her cousins would have syrup everywhere,” she said.

Baker said Miegellic and her cousins were like siblings and would eat, sleep and play together whenever they were together.

“That’s the type of bond she and the kids have,” she said. “That’s something special.”

Staff writer Gavin Off contributed to this story.