Police have enlisted the help of a cadaver dog in their ongoing search for a missing 2-year-old Alabama girl, whose mother has been called the “only known suspect” by investigators.
Authorities were seen with a cadaver dog on the morning of Wednesday, February 18, as they searched the area surrounding the apartment complex where toddler Genesis Nova Reid lived with her mother, according to KBTX.
Cadaver dogs are trained to pick up the scent of human remains and are often used in missing persons cases.
Genesis’ mother, Adrienne Reid, reported the girl missing around 3 a.m. on Monday, February 16. At the time, she told authorities that the toddler was not in her bed, and she found the front door of her home ajar.
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Authorities with the Enterprise Police Department said in a news release that Adrienne initially said that Genesis went missing that night. However, investigators conducted several interviews and ultimately determined that the child had not been seen in several weeks.
Adrienne was later charged with false reporting to law enforcement. She is currently in custody at the Coffee County Jail and is being held without bond, according to the outlet.
It is not currently clear if Adrienne has entered a plea or retained legal representation.
Coffee County District Attorney James Tarbox told reporters during a news conference Wednesday that Adrienne is the “only known suspect” in the girl’s disappearance, adding “Adrienne Reid is the only person who knows where Genesis Reid is.”
The Enterprise Police Department confirmed to Us Weekly that they have no further updates as of time of publication.
In the initial news release, authorities said that Genises was reportedly last seen wearing pink Minnie Mouse pajamas. She is 2-foot-5 and weighs 30 pounds, and her race is Black. Additionally, her hair color is black and her eyes are brown.
Authorities have asked that anyone who may have information about her location contact Enterprise Police Department at (334) 347-2222.
The Enterprise Police Department also previously asked the public for help finding a woman named Mariah, who is an alleged friend of Genises’ family. Officials did not disclose Mariah’s age or last name, though they said that she was known to be around Levels Bar and Grill in Level Plains when Genesis disappeared.
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It is not currently clear if police have been able to track down Mariah.
Authorities said they believe she could have important information about Genesis’ whereabouts.
It appears that Genesis has been missing for months, with several neighbors saying they had not seen her in a while.
One neighbor told WDHN that she noticed Genises and her mother stopped taking their routine walks a few weeks before she was reported missing. Meanwhile, an additional neighbor said that she hadn’t seen the young girl since Christmas. The neighbor added that it was off she hadn’t seen Genesis in a while, as her child often plays with her.
Fellow neighbor Tyler McGowan also told the outlet that he ran into Genises’ mother alone when he was at a store on Valentine’s Day. McGowan claimed he asked Adrienne where Genesis was, and she allegedly responded, “I don’t know.” He added that he asked about her whereabouts because the mother-daughter duo was often out and about together.
