PASADENA, Md. — A 5-year-old girl was found brutally murdered in her Pasadena home over the weekend and her 17-year-old half brother is the suspect.
As he awaits extradition to Maryland to face murder charges, the entire community is mourning her loss and questioning why.
"Her death has just devastated the community," said Bob Mosier, chief communication officer for Anne Arundel County Public Schools. "It’s just really difficult to take in. The shock and the pain is raw."
Police found Anaya Abdul dead in her bed Saturday morning and have since arrested and charged her 17-year-old half brother Stephen Davis with her murder.
Davis is a senior at Chesapeake High School and Abdul was a kindergartner at Fort Smallwood Elementary School.
The principal spoke with Abduls’s mom last night, who is just devastated.
"Her world is completely upside down as anyone's world would be. The thought of losing a 5-year-old child. I’m a dad of a daughter myself and it’s just incomprehensible and even more incomprehensible to lose her in the way that she lost her," said Mosier.
The principal said although quiet, Abdul was quite animated when called upon during class. Outside of school, she loved to draw.
"This was just a sweet child whose family considered her the angel of the family. She loved princesses and she had gowns and crowns and loved to sing and dance and make videos," said Mosier.
Anne Arundel County Public Schools is providing supports to her family and even though school buildings are closed to students, counselors and other members of the student services team are available to help in processing this tragedy.
"You don’t have to go through this process by yourself. We have support services available for students and for staff," said Mosier.
If your child needs support, you can call the school or the Anne Arundel County Crisis Warmline at 410-768-5522. That service is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
The suspect took off with the family car and was arrested in Ohio. There is no word on when he will be extradited back to Maryland to face charges. Police are still investigating and have not identified a motive. If you have any information, call Anne Arundel County Police.
