Warrant: Mom Made Daughter Bury 4-Year-Old Sister In Backyard

The Latest (6/18/21):

The mother of a 4-year-old girl whose remains were found at a Charlotte home last month forced her 13-year-old daughter to help bury her sister in the backyard, according to a search warrant.

Charlotte-Mecklenburg police charged Malikah Bennett, 31, with first-degree murder, felony child abuse, inflicting physical injury and felony concealing a death.  Bennett also has three pending misdemeanor child abuse charges from February 2020, according to a search of public records.

Police also arrested and charged Bennett’s mother, Tammy Taylor Moffett, 53, with concealing a death and accessory to murder after the fact, her arrest warrant said.

Officers found the body of Meigellic “Jelli” Young buried outside her mother’s home in Charlotte. The warrant accuses Meigellic’s mother of forcing her to stand in a laundry room for three days as punishment for soiling her pants. She eventually became too weak to stand, fell out the back door and hit her head, the 13-year-old sister told police. The girl told police that Bennett performed CPR on the child, but she died.

Bennett placed Meigellic’s body in two black plastic trash bags in the trunk of an SUV, where she remained for five days until the smell became bad, the warrant said. Bennett then drove the SUV to go buy a shovel, and after digging the hole, made the 13-year-old pick up her sister’s body, place it in the ground and cover it with dirt, the search warrant said.

The Latest ( 5/28/21):

More than a hundred people in Charlotte gathered for a candlelight vigil to remember the life of 4-year-old Meijellic Young.  The little girl was found buried in the backyard of her mother’s home one week ago.  Many hugged one another and cried as they released purple balloons, Meijellic’s favorite color.  Her big sister told the crowd “Me-jelly” is with God now.

The Latest (5/27/21):

A second suspect has been arrested and charged for their involvement in the murder of a 4-year-old Charlotte girl who was found buried in her mother’s backyard, according to the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department.

Detectives identified 53-year-old Tammy Taylor Moffett as a suspect in the case and conducted an interview Wednesday.

Police said after the interview, Moffett was transferred to the custody of the Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Office and charged with concealing a death and accessory after the fact (murder).

The investigation into this case is active and ongoing.

The Latest (5/24/21):

CHARLOTTE — New details are released about the death of a 4-year-old Charlotte girl.  Court documents show a history of abuse.  The body of Mejellic Young was found buried in the backyard of her mother’s Northwest Charlotte home last week.  Her mother, Malikah Bennett is now charged in her mother.

Court documents just released reveal new details about the alleged abuse the child faced.  The arrest warrant states Bennett intentionally committed an ‘assault that resulted in serious physical injury, black eyes, bruises, swelling on Mejellic Young’.

The Latest (5/23/21):

CHARLOTTE — There is outrage from local police and family members days after the body of a four-year-old girl was found buried in her mother’s backyard.

Monday, a Mecklenburg County judge denied bond for 31-year-old Malikah Bennett.  She’s charged with murder in the death of her daughter, Mejellic Young.  Family members say the little girl disappeared 7 months ago.  CMPD found her body Friday in the backyard of Bennett’s home on Braden Drive.

“It’s very difficult to understand how someone could do this to their child, kill their child, and bury them, and move on with their life as if nothing happened,” says Lt. Brian Crum, with Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police.

“This is very hurtful, it’s an innocent child,” says Sabrina Baker family member.

WCCB News contacted Mecklenburg County’s Department of Social Services.  A spokesperson issued this statement:

“We would like to offer our deepest condolences to the family. Due to the ongoing criminal investigation, we cannot release information that is likely to jeopardize the state’s ability to prosecute the defendant and is likely to undermine an ongoing or future criminal investigation, and could cause mental or physical harm or danger to a minor child residing in the deceased child’s household. We encourage the community to report concerns about child abuse and neglect to our 24 hour child abuse-hotline at 980-31-HELPS.”

Update (5/22/21):

CHARLOTTE — Family and friends gathered Saturday at a home in Northwest Charlotte for a vigil honoring a 4-year-old girl found dead.

CMPD found the body of Mejellic Young at a home on Braden Drive Friday.  Family members say the girl hasn’t been seen in months.  There’s a growing memorial with flowers and teddy bears outside the home.  Investigators suspect foul play was involved, but have not released a cause of death.

Her grandfather was emotional while speaking about the child’s life.

“She stayed with her father.  I didn’t see her as much as I wanted to.  I come over here, and I seen her.  She waved at me and greeted me,” he says.

The girl’s mother, Malikah Bennett, has now been charged with murder in her death.

Click here to donate to Mejellic Young’s GoFundMe to help her family cover funeral costs.

Original Story: Posted May 22, 2021

CHARLOTTE — Detectives with Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police are investigating the homicide of a 4-year-old girl.  Authorities were called to a home near the 3700 block of Braden Drive Friday.

Missing Person’s detectives responded to investigate reports that the little girl had not been seen in several months.  Detectives received several tips and evidence that indicated foul play might have been involved.  Homicide Unit detectives were notified and began investigating the case as a homicide.

Crime Scene Search responded to the home on Braden Drive where they recovered human remains believed to belong to the missing 4-year-old.

Detectives interview several people that voluntarily came to CMPD Headquarters throughout the day, including the child’s mother, 31-year-old Malikah Diane Bennett.  At the conclusion of the interview, detectives identified Bennett as the suspect in the case.  Bennett was arrested and transferred to the custody of the Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s office.  She is charged with felony child abuse, inflicting physical injury, felony concealing a death, and first degree murder.

Malikah Diane Bennett

The investigation and arrest of Bennett was a collaborative effort by detectives with CMPD’s Homicide Unit, Missing Persons Unit, Crimes Against Children, and Crime Scene Search.