After 4-year-old Memphis girl goes missing Thursday, body found near her home

Editor's note: This story has been updated with a new spelling of Sequoia Samuels' name. During the investigation, police have provided multiple name spellings.

Memphis police early Friday morning said a body was found near the area were they were searching for a toddler who was reported missing Thursday morning. Police have not confirmed the identity of the remains.

Police said a resident of a home in the 200 block of Caldwell Street woke up early Thursday and discovered that Sequoia Samuels, 4, was missing. The front door of the home was open.

Memphis Police Department Deputy Chief Paul Wright told media it's unclear at what time the child left her home, but she was last seen on camera walking in the area alone at 3 a.m.; her parents called MPD for help around 6 a.m. Thursday evening, police were still actively searching for the child and had called in multiple other law enforcement agencies for assistance.

The latest as of Friday: Memphis police find body believed to be missing 4-year-old; mother, boyfriend charged

At a Thursday evening press conference, Public Information Officer Sgt. Louis Brownlee told reporters the search radius had increased to a mile in each direction, and officers have not found any evidence to suggest Samuels was kidnapped.

The lack of kidnapping evidence, Brownlee said, is why an Amber Alert has not been issued for Samuels' disappearance.

In a tweet posted online just after 2 a.m. Friday, MPD said officers found a body just before midnight Thursday. They also said two people, a man and a woman, were detained, though remain uncharged as of 7 a.m. Friday. Officers are still investigating, MPD said in the tweet.

In addition to not confirming the identity of the body, MPD did not say if the remains were an adult's or a minor's.

Brownlee also asked for people leaving work Thursday night to join the search. MPD has been working alongside the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office, The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Tennessee Highway Patrol and the Shelby County Office of Emergency Management and Homeland Security.

“We have deployed canine resources, we have deployed aviation, we’ve had officers and deputies on ATVs,” Brownlee said. “We are leaving no stone unturned and we’re using as many resources as we can get our hands on, and neighboring resources, to ensure that we get a solution.”

In response to questions, Brownlee also said no suspects, or people of interest, have been developed during MPD’s search. Brownlee said the department was sharing all of the information it was able to share.

“No one is in custody,” he said. “No charges have been filed.”

Footage of Samuels leaving her house this morning has not been made public, but Brownlee said the department is working towards releasing it.

'She touched everybody's heart'

Just after 2 p.m. Thursday, Samuels’ aunt and uncle spoke to press at the intersection of Caldwell and Seventh streets. The Rev. Mattie Brown, Samuels’ aunt, said the family is “not [doing] well at all,” but said the support from family and community groups has meant a lot to them.

“Our entire families are here, so are churches, to support us,” Brown said. “Not only that, but the Memphis Police Department has been here since the beginning. It means a lot because we know they’re searching for her.”

Samuel Bass, Samuels’ uncle, said the four-year-old was “an angel” who smiled often.

“She’s very curious, but she’s an angel. She touched everybody’s heart," he said.

Samuels is about 3-foot-tall and weighs 30 lbs and has a feeding tube on the left side of her stomach, according to MPD. The child was last seen wearing a light-blue shirt, black pants with hearts on them and pink shoes.

MPD Public Information Officer Theresa Carlson said there is still no indication that Samuels did anything other than walk away.

“At this time our search is continuing,” Carlson said at a noon press conference Thursday. “We still have officers that are continuing to canvass the area, and are widening the search…We have elevated this to an endangered child alert with TBI.”

A helicopter, K-9 units and other law enforcement agencies were assisting in the search. A drone was also in use. As police briefed members of the media Thursday morning, several of the child's relatives could be seen walking throughout the neighborhood, repeatedly calling out for the toddler.

She said the family has been helpful and cooperative during the search and they appreciate community help.

“If you’re coming to help, we really appreciate it,” Carlson said. “The more eyes that we have looking for this child, the greater chances that we have of finding her safely…Anyone with cameras in this area, please check your cameras.”

Police are also urging residents of the area to work with them by answering the door and letting officers look through backyards.

Memphis police said the child has special needs that require the use of a feeding tube. That concern is compounded by the heat in Memphis. Thursday's high temperatures are expected to be in the mid-80s, but humidity and a clear sky will raise the heat index.

As temperatures continue to rise throughout the day, Carlson said Samuels could have crawled into someone’s car and asked residents to check their cars for the child.

“Please go outside. Check your yards, check your cars,” Carlson said. “It’s getting hot and she may have climbed into a car. We don’t want her trapped inside one.”

Thursday morning, Memphis police set up an initial multi-block search grid in the area Samuels was last seen. That grid was expended as the search progressed.

Anyone who spots Samuels is asked to call 911, call CrimeStoppers at 901-528-2274 or visit the CrimeStoppers website.

Memphis police are expected to give regular updates throughout the day as the search continues.

Micaela Watts is a reporter for The Commercial Appeal covering issues tied to education, access, and equity. She can be reached at micaela.watts@commercialappeal.com.

Lucas Finton is a criminal justice reporter with The Commercial Appeal. He can be reached at Lucas.Finton@commercialappeal.com and followed on Twitter @LucasFinton.

This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Missing child Memphis TN: Body found during Saquoia Samuels search