2 charged in death of 3-year-old Kamille 'Cupcake' McKinney

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Two people have been charged in the death of 3-year-old Kamille "Cupcake" McKinney, the Jefferson County District Attorney Danny Carr announced at a news conference Thursday.

Here are the latest updates:

Update 5:30 p.m. EDT Oct. 24: Patrick Devone Stallworth and Derick Irisha Brown have been charged with capital murder of Kamille "Cupcake" McKinney.

"As of this afternoon, criminal charges have formally been filed against two individuals for the death of 3-year-old Kamille 'Cupcake' McKinney," Carr told WIAT.

Update 4:06 p.m. EDT Oct. 23: Patrick Devone Stallworth, 39, and Derick Irish Brown, 29, will be charged with capital murder and kidnapping in connection with the abduction of Kamille "Cupcake" McKinney, who was taken from a playground Oct. 12.

Tuesday night, police found what they believed to be McKinney's remains in a dumpster.

“Kamille is gone. Ripped away from her family. The pain her family is enduring is unimaginable,” Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin said at the news conference. “This is tough. This is a tough moment for our city.”

Stallworth was jailed on child pornography charges and later released on a $500,000 bond, WTVM reported. Brown, who was arrested on kidnapping charges in 2018, remains in jail without bond for probation revocation, accroding to the television station..

Update 9:30 p.m. EDT Oct. 22: Police in Birmingham, Alabama have found what they believe to be the remains of Kamille 'Cupcake' McKinney in a dumpster late Tuesday.

According to WIAT, Birmingham Police Chief Patrick Smith said in a press conference, her remains were found in a dumpster. Patrick Devone Stallworth, 39, and Derick Irisha Brown, 29 will be charged with capital murder and kidnapping.

Lawyers for both have said they’re innocent.

The child vanished while outside a birthday party on Oct. 12.

Smith says investigators know of no link between the suspects and the girl or her family.

Update 8:26 p.m. EDT Oct. 20: A grid search of a two-mile area Sunday did not produce any evidence that would lead investigators closer to the whereabouts of Kamille "Cupcake" McKinney.

Birmingham police, Birmingham Fire and Rescue, other agencies as well as numerous volunteers spent more than four hours searching, AL. com reported.

Update 1:06 p.m. EDT Oct. 18: Police in Birmingham on Friday released surveillance video taken the night Kamille "Cupcake" McKinney was abducted, AL.com reported. Police believe the video shows the 3-year-old girl seen with two different men at the time of her abduction, the website reported.

In the video, two young children -- one believed to be Kamille -- are playing when one man walks by them without stopping, AL.com reported. A second man, who has a limp, walks up to the children moments later and the children leave with him, according to the video.

Authorities said that although the video's timestamp is incorrect, it was indeed taken around the time of the abduction, AL.com reported. Police believe the first man is a witness and want to speak with him. The second man, according to Birmingham police Chief Patrick Smith, is a suspect, AL.com reported.

Update 3:50 a.m. EDT Oct. 17: Officials are now offering a total of $25,000 in reward money in the search for Kamille "Cupcake" McKinney.

According to Birmingham police, Crime Stoppers of Alabama "has offered [a] $20,000 cash reward for tips and information leading to the closure of this investigation," the department tweeted Wednesday.

The news came one day after Gov. Kay Ivey offered a $5,000 reward "for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the perpetrator(s)."

"What we want is the safe return of Cupcake and her safe passage," Birmingham police tweeted. "Return Cupcake to a nearby fire station or police department. Do not place her in unnecessary harm."

Anyone with information about the case is urged to call Crime Stoppers at 205-254-7777, WBMA reported.

Update 2:40 p.m. EDT Oct. 16: Police confirmed Wednesday that reports which surfaced earlier in the day claiming authorities had located Kamille "Cupcake" McKinney alive and safe were erroneous.

Authorities spent hours Wednesday searching an apartment complex in western Birmingham after receiving a tip that Kamille might be there, AL.com reported. During their search, Jefferson County Sheriff Matt Pettway told WIAT that Kamille had been found.

Pettway later told the news station he had gotten misinformation from one of his deputies who was at the scene.

"The confusion came in when the crowd that had gathered, they saw another little young lady that was approximately the same size and they mistook her for (Kamille)," Birmingham police Sgt. Johnny Williams told reporters. "She has not been found. We are still searching for her."

Williams said the search Wednesday turned up no sign of Kamille.

"We have not given up on her," Williams said Wednesday. "We don't want the public to give up. We don't want this misinformation to lead everybody in the wrong way in thinking that she's been found."

An Alabama Amber Alert was issued over the weekend after Kamille was reported missing. Police said Monday that they were expanding the alert to neighboring states.

Update 4:42 a.m. EDT Oct. 16: Birmingham police have identified the two people of interest being questioned in connection with McKinney's disappearance.

According to WIAT, Patrick Devone Stallworth, 39, and Derick Irisha Brown, 29, both of Birmingham, are being held on "unrelated charges."

Authorities arrested Stallworth on child pornography charges, the TV station reported. He was jailed on $500,000 bond.

Brown, meanwhile, was arrested on a probation violation, officials said. She is not eligible for bond, WIAT reported.

Birmingham police Chief Patrick Smith said interviews with Stallworth and Brown have not provided "pertinent information" on McKinney's whereabouts, but "evidence was obtained to allow detectives to obtain warrants on both subjects," according to WIAT.

Update 9:15 a.m. EDT Oct. 15: Family members have released new photos of Kamille "Cupcake" McKinney as authorities continue to search for the missing toddler.

Authorities said Monday that they were expanding an Alabama Amber Alert issued for Kamille over the weekend to include nearby states.

"Investigators are currently expanding the Amber Alert to surrounding states so that we ensure we have coverage and we're providing a great web for the entire area," Birmingham police Chief Patrick Smith said Monday at a news conference."We wanted to make sure we're covering all areas and all angles."

Update 12:45 p.m. EDT Oct. 14: Police said two persons of interest were being interviewed Monday in connection with the suspected kidnapping of Kamille "Cupcake" McKinney.

"Unfortunately, investigators have not received any information on the whereabouts of Kamille at this time," police Chief Patrick Smith said at a news conference.

"Our officers and detectives will continue to canvass the area where the vehicle was located, where the suspects were found and also the location of where she (went) missing."

Smith said that as of Monday, investigators had yet to find any connection between Kamille's parents and the persons of interest in custody. He said police believe other, unidentified people were also involved in her disappearance.

"We definitely remain hopeful that she's still alive and out there," Smith said.

Update 10:22 p.m. EDT Oct. 13: The suspected vehicle involved in the disappearance of Kamille "Cupcake" McKinney has been located and a man was taken into custody for questioning, AL.com reported.

Police are still searching for Kamille.

Update 9:29 p.m. EDT Oct. 13: Police released an updated description of the vehicle and images of the male suspect believed to be involved in the disappearance of Kamille "Cupcake" McKinney.

The vehicle is a 2001 to 2006 blue or gray Toyota Sequoia.

Update 3:41 p.m. EDT Oct. 13: Police issued an updated description and a photo of the vehicle involved in the disappearance of Kamille "Cupcake" McKinney, 3, from a birthday party in Birmingham, Alabama.

According to WTVM, Birmingham police are looking for a blue-green Toyota Sequioa, with the year of the model between 2001 and 2006. The vehicle has either tan or brown trim, the television station reported. Police said a black man and a white woman were inside the vehicle, WIAT reported.

Dominic McKinney on Sunday pleaded for the safe return of his daughter, AL.com reported.

“I just want my daughter back. I’ll pay anything, I’ll put up anything,’’ Dominic McKinney said. “Everybody knows Cupcake and I’ll do anything to bring that baby back home.”

Original report: In an Amber Alert issued late Saturday, authorities said Kamille, an African American girl with brown eyes and black hair, stands 3 feet tall and weighs about 60 pounds. She was wearing a pink and leopard print Minnie Mouse shirt with leopard print shorts, the alert said.

Officials described the man's SUV, which may be an older Toyota 4 Runner, as dark-colored, possibly black or blue. The vehicle has "rims and a tan protruding bumper," according to the Amber Alert.

Investigators are asking anyone who has information about Kamille's disappearance to call Birmingham police at 205-254-0841 or 911.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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