Search for missing 3-year-old girl in Bryan, Texas now a murder investigation
BRYAN, Texas (KTRK) -- The case of a missing child in Bryan, Texas is now a murder investigation.
"Buried in the garden, we located decomposed remains that are consistent with the size of a young child," said Bryan Police Chief Eric Buske.
Three-year-old Rayven Shields was first reported missing to police on Monday by Child Protective Services.
Investigators say they were called when a case worker arrived to check on the little girl and her mother, Virginia Adams, gave conflicting reports about her daughter's whereabouts.
Chief Buske says throughout the week they continued to press Adams for answers, but arrested her on Wednesday for interfering with child custody.
"Her mother was not cooperative and told inconsistent stories about where Rayven was," Chief Buske said.
Buske says they brought in a cadaver dog on Friday to search a home in the 4000 block of State Highway 21.
Investigators say the home is owned by a relative, but would not elaborate, only saying Adams was living there with the toddler.
The chief says during the search on Friday, they discovered buried remains of a child.
"I think it hits the community hard when something like that happens, even people that don't even know the little girl," said Dani Marquez, a neighbor.
Police say they do not know how long the child has truly been missing because of conflicting information from family.
"We don't know the last time she was seen but we're thinking it's sometime in the middle of June," said Buske.
Eyewitness News learned this is not the mother's first time behind bars. Brazos County records show an arrest in April for family violence.
Police have not charged Adams with murder, but say they believe the crime was committed by someone close to the child.
The remains have not yet been positively identified as Rayven Sheilds, but investigators say they are operating as if this is the missing little girl, who would have turned four years old on August 21.
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