A community of a Louisiana suburb is shocked by the gruesome discovery of a 6-year-old’s body in a 10-gallon chlorine bucket on her mother’s lawn, and the suspect that has been arrested.
Police said the body of Bella Fontenelle was discovered on Wednesday at about 8:30 a.m. at a home in Harahan.
A medical examiner said the child had numerous injuries and said the cause of death was “manual strangulation along with blunt force injuries to the head.”
Police identified 43-year-old Hannah Landon as a suspect and later arrested her at her father’s home, where she lives. Landon had joint custody of the child.
Jefferson Parish Sheriff Joseph Lopinto said that the father of the girl had gone to the police station and reported his daughter and girlfriend missing. Investigators searched his home and then went to the home of the biological mother, about a block away.
Landon was charged with first-degree murder and obstruction of justice. A judge determined on Thursday that she would be held without bail.
The mother and the father of the girl were both questioned, and police believe neither was involved in the murder of their child.
Video from a neighbor’s Ring door camera appeared to capture a woman pulling a cart with the bucket toward the home.
Harahan chief of police Edward Lepre tried to reassure the citizens of the city in a Facebook post about the horrific incident.
“We were devastated to learn of the senseless murder of a child in our community. We extend our deepest condolences to the family during this unimaginably difficult time,” wrote Lepre.
“As Chief of Police, I want to assure you that Harahan is a great and safe city,” he added.
Here’s a local news report about the incident:
6-year-old killed in Harahan in gruesome homicide that stunned communitywww.youtube.com
Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!