Father Identifies Daughter in Suitcase Murders

0:00This is Corey, keeping Durham in the know, you're listening to Durham News today. A Cleveland father has identified one of two young girls whose remains were found buried in suitcases in shallow graves near Jin Academy this week. DeShawn Chatman says eight-year-old Mela Chatman, his daughter, he had been searching for over five years, was among them. The discovery happened in the South Colinwood neighborhood after a dog walker tipped off police. Chatman had fought for emergency custody five times and reached out to child welfare agencies, but he never knew where Mela was living. Tragically, she had been right nearby, within sight of the gravesite. The father shared his heartbreak, calling the news horrible and saying he felt useless for not saving her. He remembered Mela as happy-go-lucky, always smiling, with pink as her favorite color. She thought she was a princess. Meanwhile, Cleveland police say they planned to charge a 28-year-old woman connected to the case. They detain her Wednesday evening after interviews and evidence review, though charges could shift.

1:01Police chief Dorothy Todd called it a terrible tragedy and said they are still working on answers. The cause of death for the girls has not been released, with more details expected Monday. This story is made possible by our sponsor. Do not just fall asleep, drift into what you are listening to. S-O-L-I, solelypillow.com