Sherita McNeil Dead Toddler Found In A Box In His Mother's Closet Garner North Carolina

SHE HAS NOT BEEN CHARGED WITH THE MURDER OF THE TODDLER BUT IT MAKES YOU WONDER HOW THE CHILD'S DEAD BODY GOT IN THE BOX AND THEN GOT INTO THE CLOSET IN HIS MOTHER'S RESIDENCE. IT MAKES YOU WONDER HOW THE CHILD GOT DEAD!

Published: Thu, Nov. 20, 2008 12:30AM
GARNER ,North Carolina
Detectives in Garner are investigating the death of a toddler found in a box in a closet, according to two search warrants made public this week.

The documents do not say how long Devarion Gross had been dead when his body was discovered or what led to his death.

Devarion, born in March 2007, was found in his mother's apartment by concerned family members.

According to the warrants, Garner police were contacted by Child Protective Services on Nov. 3,2008 because a caller had "expressed concern that Devarion Gross had not been seen by anyone since Labor Day, 2008."

A detective tried to set up a meeting with the child's mother but was told by a relative that the woman, Sherita McNeil, had been acting strangely about the child and didn't want certain people to see her son.

On Friday, the documents say, family members went to McNeil's home at 1852 Spring Drive because they hadn't been able to contact her.

The family members, who are not named in the warrants, let themselves into the house with a key and found Devarion in a gray plastic bin in an upstairs bedroom closet.

A family member also reported to investigators that while visiting with McNeil last Wednesday, McNeil came downstairs with her other child, a 2-year-old daughter, and said she had to leave. McNeil didn't have Devarion with her, the family member said.

McNeil had "stopped eating" and had acted withdrawn, a relative told police.

According to the warrants, Garner Police have met with McNeil since the discovery of her son's body.

She has not been charged with any crime, said Sgt. Joe Binns, public information officer for the police department. "We're still waiting on the medical examiner's report to come back," Binns said. "No one has been labeled a suspect at this point."

McNeil's other child is staying with family members, he said.

Police have seized sheets, children's clothing, a diaper, hair, numerous bottles of kitchen and bath cleaners and other items from McNeil's home, which is down the street from Garner High School.

The warrants say the fathers of both of McNeil's children are currently incarcerated.

Published: Sat, Dec. 06, 2008 12:30AM

Garner detectives investigating the death of a toddler found in a box in his mother's closet have searched his father's jail cell.

According to a search warrant made public Friday, investigators found letters in the apartment from Eric Chambers to Sherita McNeil, the mother of the dead child.

"In the letters, Chambers repeatedly threatens Sherita and her other baby's father," wrote S.J. Selvek with the Garner Police Department. "He also expresses concern about Sherita getting rid of their son, the deceased child."

Garner officers went to McNeil's house in November after concerned family members had gone there looking for her son, Devarion Gross. They told officers that they'd found a toddler's body in a plastic bin in an upstairs closet at 1852 Spring Drive in Garner. It's not clear from public documents how or when Devarion died. He was born in March 2007.

According to previous search warrants, Garner police had been contacted by Child Protective Services because a caller had "expressed concern that Devarion Gross had not been seen by anyone since Labor Day, 2008."

A detective tried to set up a meeting with the child's mother but was told by a relative that McNeil had been acting strangely about the child and didn't want certain people to see her son.

In the most recent search warrant, investigators wrote that Devarion had not been seen by family members for more than a month. The toddler's body was in a white plastic garbage bag in a plastic container, with sheets. Someone had poured bleach over the linens to mask the smell.

Investigators sought permission to search Chambers' cell in the Wake County jail. They seized nine letters and four pieces of paper with writing on them.

Chambers has a lengthy criminal history, with convictions for felony larceny, probation violations and weapons charges. He was charged with murder two years ago, but the case was dismissed in January when witnesses wouldn't come to court.

McNeil has not been charged with a crime, a Garner police spokesman said this week. The department has said it is waiting for the medical examiner's report before it decides how to proceed. McNeil's other child, a 2-year-old daughter, is staying with family members.

Joe
Houston, Texas
U.S.A.