On Monday a tragedy happened in my community, Greenville, SC. A beautiful 8 year old girl named Dymia Woody was sexually assaulted and killed. She was found in a closet of an abandoned mobile home. Another child, a fourteen year old boy has been arrested and charged in the case. Below is the story as reported by our local NBC affiliate:
Police on Wednesday arrested and charged a 14-year-old boy in the death of his 8-year-old neighbor.
Dymia Janae Woody was found dead in closet of an abandoned mobile home off Grove Road early Tuesday morning. According to an autopsy, she had been sexually assaulted and died from asphyxia. The teen lived in the neighborhood and was believed to have known the victim. He met with investigators Wednesday afternoon, where he and his mother were told about the charges against him.
Part of the decision to arrest the 14-year-old was made based on DNA results that were received on Wednesday afternoon, police said.
The day that her daughter's body was found, the child's mother, Renee Woody, had expressed some concern about discrepancies in the 14-year-old's story.
She said, "The last time I remember seeing her, like I said, she was playing on the trampoline and then she left with those children and they -- like in between two children -- and there's a huge wooded area. I don't know if she ever made it to a friend's house. The mother said she didn't. The son says she did. And he offered to walk her home. So I'm getting two stories, so I don't know who to believe."
The mobile home where Dymia's body was found is within sight of her home.
The Greenville County Coroner's office said that Dymia died sometime between 8:30 p.m. and midnight.
The coroner said that she likely died while in a position that prevented her from breathing, such as with someone kneeling or sitting on her chest.
Deputies said that Dymia's mother reported her daughter missing about 10:30 p.m. Monday. She said she hadn't seen her since about 5:30 p.m., but neighbors reported seeing the child at about 8:30 p.m.
"She knows you get in here before dusk, she knows that," Renee Woody said. "So I knew then that something was wrong. So we started walking this entire complex area -- everybody she knew -- we went to the doors, door to door, nobody seen her or anything, so at that point, we didn't know what to do but call the police."
When investigators arrived, they searched in the area around the girl's home.
Neighbors told deputies to be sure to check an abandoned mobile home in the neighborhood. When a search dog and handler noticed the door of the mobile home on Carley Drive open, they went in to investigate.
They found Dymia's body in the closet of a bedroom at about 12:30 a.m.
"It's just hard on the deputies, especially the ones who find a small child in a situation like this," Greenville County Sheriff's Master Deputy Michael Hildebrand said. "It can be very difficult for them. We also have counselors and if our deputies need that, then we'll make sure that they're taken care of as well.
But the pain is greatest for Dymia's family. The couple's oldest son said that Dymia's mother has done nothing but cry since his sister's body was found.
Renee Woody said, "I just miss her. I just look at the door and it feels like she's going to come running in saying, 'Momma, I want something to drink. I'm hungry. Can you fix me some cereal? Or can you take me to the park?' Now, I don't have none of that."
Dymia's father, David Woody, said. "Just sickening why someone would hurt an 8-year-old little girl."
The 14-year-old was charged with first-degree criminal sexual conduct and kidnapping.
Since the suspect is 14, he will be charged as a juvenile and the Solicitor's Office will have to determine whether to upgrade the charges.
He will stay in the juvenile area of the Law Enforcement Center in Greenville until he attends family court at 12 p.m. Thursday.
The MSM has fixated on another tragedy which occurred in Vermont to a 12 year old girl named Brooke Bennett. After missing for a week, her body was found in a makeshift grave near her uncles home. He has since been arrested in the case.
Here is that story which is the prominent headline on MSNBC’s US front page:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/...
These stories are equally sad and disturbing, but if you only get your news from the MSM, most of you will never hear about Dymia Woody. In the past, the media has been criticized for focusing on stories where the victims fit a certain demographic. Dymia is not in that demographic. She is black and lived in a very poor neighborhood in my community. Dymia’s story demands our attention.
The fact that the suspect is a fourteen year old child, and how this case proceeds will demand our attention as well, and since the MSM won’t keep you informed, I will try to.