The body of a 6-year-old girl missing in Louisiana since Saturday was found earlier this week in a dumpster not far from the girl's home. Police have arrested a member of the girl's family in her brutal murder.
The body of Ahlittia North, 6, of Harvey, La. was found wrapped in a comforter in a dumpster located near her home. According to a report from the Times-Picayune, North died a brutal death by stabbing. An autopsy performed by the Jefferson Parish Coroner's Office revealed that the girl died from two deep cuts to the neck. The knife wounds were reportedly deep enough to pass through the cartilage in her spine and into her bone.
"That's a very aggressive stab wound," said coroner Gerry Cvitanovich.
Matthew Flugence, 20, was sought by the Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office in the girl's murder. According to News One, Flugence is the nephew of North's stepfather. He was taken into custody on Tuesday night at approximately 10 p.m. by local officials. He was reportedly in possession of a knife at the time of his arrest.
Police say Flugence will be charged with one count of first-degree murder in North's death. He will also be booked on an outstanding warrant for a charge of sexual battery involving a local 11-year-old girl. Officers also arrested the man's brother, Russell Flugence, 21, on Monday and charged him with obstruction of justice in North's case.
The little girl went missing on Saturday night. Her parents reported last seeing her sleeping in her bed at just past midnight. When they checked on her the next morning at approximately 9:30 a.m., they found her bed empty and no sign of her. The family reported locking the front door on Saturday evening, but found it open on Sunday morning, though there was no sign of forced entry.
A search was launched for the missing child on Sunday involving multiple law enforcement agencies. Officials soon found a pool of blood close to the North family home and DNA analysis confirmed it belonged to Ahlittia.
Law enforcement continued their search on Monday and it was then that they found her body discarded in a dumpster near her home. According to reports, police are still trying to piece together the exact sequence of events that led to her death.
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