Morgan Nick Amber Alert Issued for 2 Year Old Malik Drummond in Searcy, AR Remains found

[Red]

Morgan Nick Amber Alert Issued for Missing 2 Year Old Malik Drummond in Searcy, AR

http://scaredmonkeys.com/2014/11/24/morgan-nick-amber-alert-issued-for-missing-2-year-old-malik-drummond-in-searcy-ar/

A Morgan Nick Amber Alert has been issued for 2 year old Malik Drummond. The toddler has been missing since Sunday night, November 23, 2014 in Searcy, Arkansas. Malik was last seen around 5:45 pm on Sunday at his home in the 700 block of West Park Avenue around 6:30 pm. Malik is considered autistic and appears to have walked away from his home.  The level two alert was activated early Monday morning according to Arkansas State Police.

    Malik is autistic, and was last seen in his bedroom around 5:45 p.m.

    He’s described as 3 feet tall, 40 pounds with brown hair and brown eyes. He was last seen wearing a blue shirt and brown pants with stripes.

    Anyone with information should call 911 or the Searcy Police Department at (501) 268-353.

    Police, firefighters, neighbors, friends, and family members continue the search for missing 2-year-old Malik Drummond into the late night and early morning hours.

    Police say the little boy walked away from his home on the 700 block of West Park Avenue around 6:30 Sunday night.

If you have any information on the missing child call Searcy Police at 501-268-3531.

[Red]

#FindMalik: FBI joins search for missing child

http://www.thv11.com/story/news/local/2014/11/23/missing-child-searcy-police-are-asking-for-help/19464139/

The FBI has joined in on the search for Malik Drummond, a 2-year-old boy who was been missing since Sunday night. Arkansas State Police issued a Morgan Nick Amber Alert on the night of his disappearance.

Volunteers are now searching a creek on the other side of Beebe Capps Expressway for any signs of the child. The Searcy Police Department has moved their command post to the St. Mary Church at Park Avenue and Sowell Street; this is where volunteers need to go first before joining the search.

According to volunteers who spoke with THV11 late Sunday evening, they are looking in abandoned houses and vehicles, sheds, play areas, and other small areas. Canine officers search any traces of the child but found nothing after four hours.

[Red]

Volunteers Join Police, Fire Efforts to Find Malik Drummond, 2

http://www.nwahomepage.com/story/d/story/morgan-nick-amber-alert-issued-for-2-year-old-auti/14373/rxNFW-nD2E-XRs04UQCScw

“Everybody’s in distress,” Clifton said, “We don’t know what’s going on. Everybody’s minds run crazy when you can’t find a kid. You think the worst.”

Clifton says it’s unusual for Malik to wander away.

Clifton expressed gratitude toward members of the community who spent much of Sunday evening searching for the missing 2-year-old.

Please call 911 or the Searcy Police Department immediately if you see the child or think you might have information about where he is.

[Red]

Foul play not ruled out in Malik Drummond disappearance

http://wreg.com/2014/11/26/foul-play-not-ruled-out-in-malik-drummond-disappearance/

Malik’s mother said her son, who is autistic, wandered away from his home while she took a bath and his father slept.

Police are not ruling out the possibility of foul play and are using a polygraph machine to rule people out as possible suspects.

“We’re not ruling out foul play but at the same time we don’t have anything indicating there was foul play,” said Cpl. Steve Hernandez with the Searcy Police Department told KTHV-TV.

[Sister]

"Foul Play Not Indicated"
or
"Foul Play Not Ruled Out"

just thinking out loud.  Both statements true, but which one creates more interest/sensationalism?

 

[Tamikosmom]

Police say child was never tested for autism
November 27, 2014

According to the Searcy Police Department, missing two-year-old Malik Drummond was never tested for autism as had been previously reported.

"While the search goes on for Malik, we'd like to clear up what's been previously reported. We at the PD we told by certain family, as was the media, that Malik has autism. The facts are he's a 2 year old child and has never been tested for autism," stated the post.

<snipped>

http://www.thv11.com/story/news/local/2014/11/27/searcy-police-malik-autism/19579115/

[Amys Sister]

Foul play not ruled out in Malik Drummond disappearance

http://wreg.com/2014/11/26/foul-play-not-ruled-out-in-malik-drummond-disappearance/

Malik’s mother said her son, who is autistic, wandered away from his home while she took a bath and his father slept.

Police are not ruling out the possibility of foul play and are using a polygraph machine to rule people out as possible suspects.

“We’re not ruling out foul play but at the same time we don’t have anything indicating there was foul play,” said Cpl. Steve Hernandez with the Searcy Police Department told KTHV-TV.

The above article leaves out some important information.  It was Malik's STEPMOM who claimed the child is autistic and it was Malik's stepmom and bio dad's home from which Malik disappeared during a visit.

If she lied about Malik being autistic what else did she lie about?

 http://www.baxterbulletin.com/story/news/local/2014/11/26/malik-drummond/19521659/

 LITTLE ROCK -- According to KTHV, the mother of a 2-year-old who vanished from his Searcy home Sunday night is speaking out, saying she believes her son was kidnapped.

According to an Associated Press report, Police Chief Jeremy Clark told reporters Wednesday afternoon that Malik Drummond needs to be found soon.

Clark says bloodhounds and cadaver dogs have been used and that nearby houses — including abandoned homes — have been searched and that ditches and sewers were drained and searched.

The child's father and stepmother reported him missing Sunday — saying he was last seen inside their home. Overnight temperatures have fallen to near 30 degrees and the boy was last seen wearing only a shirt and pants, KHTV said.

Many people that THV11 spoke with on Tuesday, including the child's mother, simply don't believe the boy could have or would have walked away from the house alone.

Related Story: Police: No good clues in Searcy toddler search

Related Story: Police, volunteers continue search for Searcy toddler

"Everything doesn't add up. Things don't add up at all," his mother, Tanya Drummond, said. She is desperately searching for answers three days after her son disappeared. She said the boy was visiting his father and stepmother Sunday night.

 

[texasmom]

http://katv.com/news/local/father-of-mailk-drummond-arrested-and-charged-with-toddlers-death

Human remains found in Jackson County believed to be Malik Drummond
BY KATV NEWSROOM WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 2ND 2015

SEARCY (KATV) — UPDATE (4:05 p.m.):

Searcy police believe human remains found in Jackson County are that of Malik Drummond.

The remains were located in a rural area of Jackson County, near the community of Auvergne, which is just northeast of Searcy.

Members of the Auvergne community say a heavy police force was seen in the area Wednesday. Channel 7 reporter Jordan Bontke headed to the scene and saw steaks in the ground where authorities found the remains they believe to be Malik Drummond's.

The father of Malik Drummond was arrested Tuesday night for the death of the missing Searcy toddler.

Police say there have been several leads and evidence was developed regarding the November 2014 disappearance of two-year-old Malik, but they say the information leading to Clifton's arrest did not come from the $20,000 reward being offered for information.

Just before midnight Tuesday, Jeffery Leroy Clifton, 43, of Searcy was arrested and charged with capital murder and abuse of a corpse. Police say Malik's body has not yet been recovered.

Searcy police say they have been looking at Clifton for a while and have interviewed him several times over the course of the last year since Malik's disappearance.

"Over the last year plus, we've been investigating this, and through the course of the investigation there have been some leads that have come up and some of those leads have given us the evidence that we needed in order to charge Jeff," Searcy Police Sgt. Steve Hernandez said.

Hernandez tells Channel 7 Clifton was served with two warrants and taken into custody at the police station Tuesday night after driving himself to the police department. Hernandez said authorities had to be careful before they arrested Clifton, who was a star basketball player for Arkansas State University in the early 90s and played professionally in Europe.

Clifton appeared in court Wednesday morning. He is being held without bond at the White County Detention Center. His next court appearance is set for January 5, 2016 at 9 am.

 

https://twitter.com/JBontke_KATV/status/672199675047358466

Jordan Bontke
‏@JBontke_KATV
Members of the Auvergne community say this is where authorities found Malik Drummond. #KATV7
3:44 PM - 2 Dec 2015
 Arkansas, USA

https://twitter.com/JBontke_KATV/status/672206082501009408

Jordan Bontke
‏@JBontke_KATV
Markers in the ground indicate where investigators found Malik Drummond's remains. #KATV7
4:09 PM - 2 Dec 2015
 Arkansas, USA

[texasmom]

http://www.thv11.com/story/news/local/2015/12/03/second-arrest-made-in-malik-drummond-case/76731700/

Affidavit: Malik died days prior to AMBER Alert; father's girlfriend also arrested
Jessica Amis, THV11 5:08 p.m. CST December 3, 2015

SEARCY, Ark. (KTHV) -- Another arrest has been made in connection to the death of Malik Drummond, a 2-year-old boy who was reported missing in November of 2014.

According to Searcy police, 27-year-old Lesley Sue Marcotte of Springdale was arrested Thursday for hindering apprehension or prosecution. Marcotte is the girlfriend of Malik's father, Jeffery Clifton, who was arrested Wednesday for the capital murder of his son.

An affidavit released by police details that numerous inconsistencies emerged during the criminal investigation regarding the initial report of Malik's disappearance. During several interviews, she continued to say she knew nothing about Malik's disappearance except for what she had previously reported.

A year to-the-day after Malik's disappearance, Marcotte told detectives that Clifton beat Malik on Thursday, Nov. 20, 2014 and Malik died shortly after.

The affidavit reads, "Malik's father kept his body hidden until early Sunday morning. Marcotte said Malik's father then took the body and disposed of it, but did not tell Marcotte where or how. Marcotte and Malik's father then staged the events on Sunday, Nov. 23, 2014 to report that Malik was missing."

According to the affidavit, Marcotte said she and Clifton tried to come up with a way to frame Malik's biological mother for taking Malik. She said Clifton came up with the plan to tell police that Malik walked out of the door.

The affidavit reads, "Malik's father said he would take Marcotte down with him if Marcotte told anyone what actually happened."

[texasmom]

http://www.thv11.com/story/news/local/2015/12/03/timeline-malik-drummond/76686048/

Timeline: The case of missing Searcy toddler Malik Drummond
Jessica Amis, THV11 2:25 p.m. CST December 3, 2015

SEARCY, Ark. (KTHV) -- One year and nine days later, the father of a missing toddler out of Searcy, Arkansas was arrested for the murder of his son.

Here's a brief look at the events surrounding Malik Drummond's disappearance:

- Nov. 23, 2014: Malik Drummond, then 2-years-old, was reported missing by his father and stepmother. An AMBER Alert was issued. He was said to be autistic, and had wandered away from his father's home

- Nov. 27, 2014: Police reveal that Malik had never been tested for autism

- Dec. 9, 2014: The Searcy Police Department released audio of the call made to emergency services the night Malik disappeared

- Jan. 12, 2015: Fifty-one days into the search for Malik, the now-former Searcy police chief talks in depth on THV11 about the disappearance

- Feb. 26, 2015: Police search landfill for Malik

- Sept. 13, 2015: Chicago PD look into Malik's case after finding remains; the remains were not revealed as Malik's

- Nov. 10, 2015: FBI offered up to $20K for information on Malik

- Nov. 23, 2015: One year passes since Malik's disappearance

- Dec. 2, 2015: Police share with the media that Malik's father, Jeffery Leroy Clifton, was arrested for Malik's murder. Also released Dec. 2, police said they found human remains in Jackson County believed to be those of Malik's.

- Dec. 3, 2015: The girlfriend of Jeffery Clifton, Lesley Marcotte, was arrested for hindering apprehension or prosecution.

[texasmom]

Justice for Malik!

 

[texasmom]

I'll never understand how people can do these things and live with themselves.

He was just a baby!

 

[texasmom]

http://www.ksla.com/story/30648874/human-remains-found-believed-to-be-of-malik-drummond

Human remains found, believed to be of Malik Drummond
Posted: Dec 02, 2015 8:52 AM CST
Updated: Dec 02, 2015 6:31 PM CST
Posted by Region 8 NewsdeskCONNECT

Posted by Meredith Miller

 

Malik was reported missing on Nov. 23, 2014. Since then police say several leads have been investigated which ultimately led to the arrest.

“This is huge to get somebody arrested for the disappearance of Malik," Searcy officer Steve Hernandez said. "We have come a long way and we have put a lot of time into this.”

Several people in the community came together early on to organize a search party for Malik.

Hernandez said the Searcy police thanks the community members and outside law enforcement for all their help in assisting with the investigation and search.

“There was a lot of ground covered and we could not have done that by ourselves," Hernandez said. "It would have taken way too much time and it would have pulled our resources away from the investigative process.”

Region 8 News spoke with some neighbors that were a part of the original search team and they are sadden by the outcome.

“It is a sad day just for the community, family and friends because nobody wins. It is just a sad day,” King Harris said.

Neighbors were also shocked Clifton was involved in the disappearance and murder.

“I was shocked this morning to see his face right there on the news,” Taron Brown said. “This is your own flesh and blood and you did this to your son so, yeah I am shocked.”

Police state "other details to this case are not being released at this time" due to it being an active investigation. Hernandez did say this is a huge break in the case.

“This is proof we have not given up, we are still not done and we are still in the middle of a very busy investigation," Hernandez said. "We will continue until we feel like we have come to correct conclusion.”

[texasmom]

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/human-remains-found-believed-to-be-arkansas-toddler-malik-drummond-missing-a-year/

crimesider
By CRIMESIDER STAFF CBS/AP  December 3, 2015, 3:02 PM

Human remains believed to be Ark. toddler missing a year

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. -- Police believe human remains found in a rural Arkansas field are those of a boy who disappeared from his father's home more than a year ago, authorities said Wednesday, just hours after announcing the toddler's father had been arrested on a capital murder charge.

The remains have been sent to the Arkansas State Crime Lab for final identification, but police believe they found the body of Malik Drummond, who was 2-years-old when he went missing in November 2014, said Searcy police Sgt. Steve Hernandez. The boy's father, Jeffery Clifton, was arrested Tuesday night on suspicion of capital murder and abuse of a corpse.

 

Before the discovery, the child's mother, Tanya Drummond, told CBS affiliate KTVH that Clifton had turned himself in to authorities because "his conscience was eating him alive."

Clifton was denied bond during a hearing Wednesday. Case documents, including probable cause affidavits that may contain details about the investigation, have been sealed, according to White County Circuit Court officials. It wasn't clear if Clifton had an attorney.

 

Clifton said last month that he was still searching for his son, "looking at cars that pass, in parks." Authorities said at the time that Clifton and his then-girlfriend had been cooperative.

Clifton told The Daily Citizen newspaper earlier this year that his oldest son died in 2005 after he was hit by a car getting off a school bus, and that he'd been hoping for the best in the search for Malik. He said he was "still kind of numb" about Malik's disappearance.

"It's tough around here, especially on the holidays. I hope he's found safe and that wherever he is or whoever has him makes sure (Malik) is taken care of first and foremost. Then I want him back, with his sister, with his family. Either this is going to end good or bad or never end," he told the newspaper.

[texasmom]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GnWAgSQf8OI

Malik Drummond Live FOX

Published on Dec 2, 2015

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/v/GnWAgSQf8OI" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/v/GnWAgSQf8OI</a>

[texasmom]

http://www.arkansasmatters.com/news/local-news/malik-drummond-death-details-released

Malik Drummond Death Details Released
Published 12/03 2015 02:22PM
Updated 12/03 2015 03:58PM

 

Lesley S. Marcotte, 27, of Springdale faces a charge of hindering apprehension.

Her arrest affidavit reveals what she told police:


In an interview on Nov. 23, 2015 in Springdale, Marcotte told Searcy Police that Malik's father (Jeff Clifton) beat the child on Thursday, Nov. 20, 2014 and Malik died shortly after. She said Clifton kept his body hidden until early Sunday morning and then took the body and disposed of it, but did not tell her where or how.

Marcotte and Clifton then staged the events on Sunday, Nov. 23, 2014 to report that Malik was missing.

Marcotte said she and Clifton tried to come up with a way to frame Malik's biological mother in the case

Clifton came up with the plan to tell police that Malik just walked out the door

Marcotte said Clifton told her he would take her down with him if she told anyone what really happened

Marcotte told police Clifton left their home around 3 a.m. on Sunday, Nov. 23, 2014 and came back around sunrise.

Marcotte said Clifton told her to text him about Malik to create the impression that the child was still alive that weekend

In the arrest affidavit for Jeff Clifton released Thursday, the following details about the day Malik died were revealed.

Malik and other children in the household were eating dinner on the coffee table in the living room on Nov. 20, 2014. Malik was not eating and Clifton got mad at him.

Clifton took Malik to the bedroom to discipline him and when they came back out, Malik started eating.

Malik then drank all of another child's drink so Clifton got mad at him again and took him back in the room again.

When Clifton brought Malik back out, Malik "did not act or look okay." Clifton refused when he was urged to take Malik to the hospital. Clifton was reportedly scared to take Malik in because of extensive bruising on Malik's body.

Marcotte told police Clifton beat Malik and his twin sister on several occasions, pointing out a bruise on Malik's lip in one of the pictures on the missing poster she said was inflicted by Clifton.

Clifton then put Malik in the bathtub to see how the water would affect him. Later, the other kids were asleep and Malik was in bed between Clifton and Marcotte. She said his legs were cold and his belly was swelling. Malik started making a choking sound and she tried giving him CPR.

Clifton wrapped Malik in a robe and took him outside. When Clifton came back in he said "it was too late."

Marcotte became hysterical and Clifton sent her to a neighbor's apartment to spend the night and she went next door with the other two children.

Clifton went to work the next day with Malik's body in the back seat of his pickup truck. Clifton asked his brother for his vehicle on Saturday. A week after Malik was reported missing, police say a cadaver dog alerted on the interior of that vehicle.

Clifton put Malik's body in the borrowed vehicle before he left to dispose of it. He left his cell phone at home because "he knew it had GPS on it."

Marcotte made a phone call to Clifton on November 24, 2015 which she recorded. When she asked him about someone finding Malik's body, he told her "We already talked about this. This is not the time to talk about this."

The two then met face-to-face at Clifton's home on Nov. 25, 2015 during which the following conversation was recorded:

Clifton said "they can't come at you with nothin'. The only person that [would] know is me. All you got to remember is to keep saying you don't know. I don't care what they say whatever they is saying, they don't have anything. I don't care what they say, they don't have s*%$. You know this. So I don't care what they tell you they say it is. 'No I didn't. No I didn't. That's why I don't want to say nothin' about it. Got me spooked."