A Mississippi father and stepmother are behind bars after investigators discovered that a 3-year-old was beaten to death and buried nearly three months ago.
On Thursday, law enforcement officials in Scott County began to assess a peculiar report after being notified by family members of the unidentified toddler that the child had not been seen in months. The child had not been reported missing and was believed to be living with Rodkis Fenderson, the father, in Lake.
After investigating, authorities made the chilling discovery that the toddler had been slain. Fenderson is reported to have shown police where the 3-year-old’s body was buried. The stepmother, Kierra Patrick, is accused of joining the father in giving family members conflicting stories about where the child was when asked prior to law enforcement’s involvement in the case.
Fenderson is charged with murder, while Patrick is charged with accessory after the fact. No bond information has been released at this time.
Officials with the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation, the Mississippi State University Anthropology Department, and the Mississippi Crime Scene Unit recovered the child’s body.
The name of the victim was withheld due to their age.
