The Onslow County Sheriff’s Office and the FBI detained 32-year-old Earl Kimery Friday in connection with the disappearance of 3-year-old Mariah Woods, WRAL reported. Mariah Woods was reported missing from her home in Jacksonville, North Carolina, around 6 a.m. Monday.
He’s accused of “removing Mariah Woods’ body from the scene of her death and did conceal Mariah Woods’ death and body, knowing that Mariah died from unnatural causes. The defendant acted with deceit and intent to fraud,” according to the arrest warrant.
The Sheriff’s office shared in a statement they had evidence to believe Mariah is dead:
“At this time, the location of Mariah is unknown,” the statement said. “The searches now will shift to a recovery process.”
According to WNCN, Kimrey is the live-in boyfriend of Mariah Woods mother Kristy Woods, who issued an emotional plea for her daughter’s safe return.
Kristy Woods told WITN-TV that she had last seen Mariah at 11 p.m. Sunday night when she checked on her. She said her boyfriend claimed to have seen the girl around midnight when she woke up and he told her to go back to bed.
Kimrey is being held at the Onslow County Detention Center on $1.01 million bond, WNCN reports.