A 29-year-old mother in Alabama has been arrested on suspicion of murder after her 1-year-old child was found dead in a hearse at a funeral home.
Around 11:45 a.m. on Saturday, Aug. 9, staff at West Gadsden Funeral Home in Gadsden discovered the body of Blessence Pearl in the back of a hearse, according to The Gadsden Times and WBRC 6 News. Police say the child was not in a casket. The death is being investigated as a homicide.
The baby’s mother, Terica Pearl, was arrested at 1:48 a.m. the next day and is being held at the Etowah County Jail without bond, according to court records.
Funeral home staff said they had just returned from an appointment when they noticed what looked like a doll inside the hearse. Upon closer inspection, they realized it was a baby.
“I got a call from one of my employees,” said funeral home owner Dantez Robinson. “They were getting ready to do some grounds work when they found the baby inside one of the hearses.”
Lieutenant Dusty Ford of the Gadsden Police Department said that within 12 hours, the investigation went from uncertainty to an arrest.
Mayor Craig Ford called it “a tough case for everybody involved” but praised the police for acting quickly. “An arrest doesn’t take away the hurt, but it does mean we’re one step closer to justice for this child,” he said.
The investigation is ongoing.
