Law enforcement officials said after exhausting all digging efforts at a Russellville residence last week, they will await results from evidence sent for forensic testing before moving forward with the case.
According to Russellville Police Chief Chris Hargett, officials spent three days on the site of a residence at the corner of Wilson Boulevard and Hunterwood Circle in Russellville where it was believed the body of an infant had been buried.
Hargett said the tip came from an informant who contacted the Alabama State Fire Marshal’s Office last week.
After obtaining a search warrant, officials from the Russellville Police Department, Alabama Bureau of Investigation, Russellville Fire Department and the Alabama State Fire Marshal’s Office’s arrived on the scene with digging equipment and cadaver dogs on Wednesday afternoon and remained there until Friday afternoon when digging efforts were suspended.
“We had cadaver dogs that were involved in this process who indicated at a spot in the yard, which is where the digging efforts were concentrated,” Hargett said.
“After an extensive search of the area, no body was found, but we collected several items from inside the home along with some items we uncovered in the yard and sent them for testing.
“We’re waiting to get results back from those tests before we can move forward with the case.”
Hargett declined to identify what items had been collected for forensic testing.
The digging was the result of a tip from an informant who stated there was a woman who had lived at the residence from 2009 until just several months ago who had given birth to a child who only lived for a few hours.
Hargett said the source alleged that after the child died, it had been buried in the back yard.
“We want to take any allegations like this seriously and we will continue to follow up on any leads we receive,” Hargett said.
Anyone with any information about this case is asked to call the Russellville Police Department at 256-332-2230 or Shoals Area Crime Stoppers at 256-386-8685. Anonymous tips can also be given through the RPD’s website at www.russellvillepd.org.