MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Memphis Police Department (MPD) officially canceled the missing endangered child alert Friday, June 16, for 4-year-old Sequoia Samuels, and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) said investigators believe the child is dead.
The child's mother, Brittney Jackson, and her mother's boyfriend, Jaylon Hobson have been charged. Jackson was charged with child neglect, abuse of a corpse, and false offense reporting. Hobson was charged with false reporting.
MPD said Sequoia Samuels was reported missing by her mother on Thursday, June 15 around 6:30 a.m. Investigators had originally said Thursday that Jackson and Hobson helped MPD, TBI, and the whole neighborhood search for the little girl.
Early Friday morning, MPD said officers found human remains of a small child's in the area during their search for Sequoia. They announced the charges later Friday morning.
Timeline of events
Friday, June 16
MPD canceled the missing endangered child alert about 9:30 a.m. Friday
MPD also shared at 8:33 a.m. that the missing 4-year-old's mother, Brittany Jackson, was arrested and charged with aggravated child neglect, abuse of a corpse, and false offense reporting after an abused child's corpse was found in the 200 block of Caldwell Ave. during the search for Samuels.
Jaylon Hobson was also arrested and charged with false offense reporting.
At 2:09 a.m., MPD said officers found human remains of a small child's body in the 200 block of Caldwell Ave. at 11:50 p.m. Thursday, June 15 during their search for Samuels.
An MPD public information officer (PIO) also gave a statement at the scene early Friday morning around 2:11 a.m. Friday.
"The investigation into this case is still ongoing. As a parent my heart aches with this information," MPD PIO said.
Thursday, June 15
MPD provided an update around 9:30 p.m. Thursday night during the ongoing search and urged the public to send in any information they have on the missing toddler.
MPD previously said they did not have a person of interest, nor was anyone in custody in the case. At 5:45 p.m., MPD said there was no amber alert sent out because MPD found no evidence of a kidnapping.
At 12:10 p.m. Memphis Police asked that anyone in the Uptown area to keep a lookout before the search ended. They also asked people with personal home security cameras to check video starting from midnight on Thursday, June 15 to see if the little girl could be seen at any point throughout the night and morning.
The TBI issued an Endangered Child Alert at 11:38 a.m. and joined Memphis Police to search for Samuels after her parents reported to police that she disappeared from her home Thursday morning.
According to MPD, Samuels was reported missing about 6:30 a.m. June 15, 2023, from the 200 block of Caldwell Ave. Investigators said that's when her parents woke and found the front door wide open with the girl nowhere to be found, MPD said.
Investigators said Samuels was believed to be out by herself walking and was last seen on camera just after 3 a.m. They said there was no indication she was taken and may have walked on her own.
The Shelby County Sheriff's Office, DeSoto County Sheriff's Office and the FBI are all assisted in the search effort, as well as the TBI.
Police conducted a door-to-door ground search and aerial and K9 units also helped. Investigators said the parents were involved and helping with the search.
Emotions high for family and the neighborhood during the now cancelled search
The announcement of Samuels' disappearance had family members distraught, asking anyone in the surrounding areas to get involved.
“If y’all see her, if y’all know anything, if y’all heard anything please bring her home," said Samuel Bass, Sequoia’s Great Uncle.
Those calls were heard by neighbors and people living in nearby communities. Some have been searching since alert of Samuels' disappearance was first announced.
“I’ve never seen her, but I’m out searching for her to help her family," said Carolyn Hardrick, who lives around the corner, “As a grandmother, I’m there.”
“My whole neighborhood is out here asking questions trying to find this little girl," said Byron Hayes, a retired St. Louis Police Officer, “And this neighborhood is a big neighborhood, but it’s also surrounded by a lot of industrial areas, so to take a look around means a lot, every boot on the ground means a lot.”
The TBI also included a printable flyer for Sequoia that's accessible to the public to print and share:
Samuels had a feeding tube on the left side of her stomach. She was last seen wearing a light blue shirt, black pants with colored hearts and possibly pink house shoes.
