1 00:00:00,440 --> 00:00:04,720 Speaker 1: Crime Alert hourly update Breaking crime news Now. I'm Nicole Parton. 2 00:00:04,760 --> 00:00:07,440 Speaker 1: A mother from Alabama has been charged with the murder 3 00:00:07,480 --> 00:00:10,520 Speaker 1: of her one year old daughter, who was found dead 4 00:00:10,640 --> 00:00:13,360 Speaker 1: in a hearse at a funeral home earlier this month. 5 00:00:13,840 --> 00:00:18,000 Speaker 1: During a police interview regarding the incident, Tureka Pearl, twenty nine, 6 00:00:18,400 --> 00:00:22,079 Speaker 1: reportedly began to scream, oh my God, what have I 7 00:00:22,239 --> 00:00:27,080 Speaker 1: done this? According to prosecutors, Local authorities alleged that Pearl 8 00:00:27,160 --> 00:00:31,720 Speaker 1: from Gadsdem, discarded her daughter, Blessings Pearl, at a West 9 00:00:31,840 --> 00:00:36,200 Speaker 1: Gadsden funeral home between August eight and nine, after allegedly 10 00:00:36,320 --> 00:00:40,000 Speaker 1: strangling her with a thick rope from a robe. The 11 00:00:40,040 --> 00:00:43,720 Speaker 1: director of the funeral home expressed being overwhelmed by shock 12 00:00:43,800 --> 00:00:47,760 Speaker 1: upon discovering the child's body inside the hearse. Law enforcement 13 00:00:47,840 --> 00:00:50,320 Speaker 1: was alerted on the morning of August nine after a 14 00:00:50,400 --> 00:00:55,800 Speaker 1: groundskeeper found Blessed since remains while preparing to move the car. This, 15 00:00:55,920 --> 00:01:00,920 Speaker 1: as reported by WVTM, City officials include the funeral homes 16 00:01:00,960 --> 00:01:06,319 Speaker 1: director Dontez Robinson discussed the grim find, and other media 17 00:01:06,360 --> 00:01:10,679 Speaker 1: outlets also reported that Pearl's arrest happened the following day. 18 00:01:11,240 --> 00:01:14,560 Speaker 1: Pearl appeared in court on August twenty two in Edawa County, 19 00:01:14,600 --> 00:01:19,880 Speaker 1: facing capital murder charges. During her preliminary hearing, prosecutors outlined 20 00:01:19,920 --> 00:01:23,959 Speaker 1: the serious allegations against her gats and Police Sergeant Nick Keener, 21 00:01:24,000 --> 00:01:27,080 Speaker 1: the lead investigator, noted there was evidence of the robe 22 00:01:27,080 --> 00:01:29,839 Speaker 1: string being torn from the garment used in the crime. 23 00:01:30,360 --> 00:01:34,480 Speaker 1: Authorities reportedly obtained the robe and surveillance footage showing a 24 00:01:34,520 --> 00:01:38,240 Speaker 1: woman identified as Pearl near the funeral home on the 25 00:01:38,319 --> 00:01:42,160 Speaker 1: day Blessings was discovered. The video allegedly depicts her walking 26 00:01:42,200 --> 00:01:45,040 Speaker 1: towards the funeral home around two thirty am while holding 27 00:01:45,080 --> 00:01:48,160 Speaker 1: a child, then returning alone about two and a half 28 00:01:48,240 --> 00:01:52,440 Speaker 1: hours later. Pearl was reportedly emotional during the hearing as 29 00:01:52,480 --> 00:01:56,840 Speaker 1: details about her daughter's tragic fate were recounted. Prosecutors stated 30 00:01:56,880 --> 00:01:59,680 Speaker 1: that she used a string similar in thickness to a 31 00:01:59,720 --> 00:02:04,040 Speaker 1: shoe u lace to strangle Blessings. According to reports, Pearl 32 00:02:04,080 --> 00:02:07,280 Speaker 1: claims she felt quote compelled to go to the funeral home, 33 00:02:07,600 --> 00:02:11,560 Speaker 1: believing her daughter would be safe there. Pearl's attorney, Sean Malone, 34 00:02:11,639 --> 00:02:15,360 Speaker 1: contended that the evidence against her is insufficient and requested 35 00:02:15,400 --> 00:02:18,679 Speaker 1: the release of state records from the Alabama Department of 36 00:02:18,760 --> 00:02:22,960 Speaker 1: Human Resources pertaining to both Blessings and Pearl, asserting that 37 00:02:23,000 --> 00:02:27,320 Speaker 1: these records would clarify the situation. Those records would provide 38 00:02:27,320 --> 00:02:31,799 Speaker 1: crucial insight into how we arrived to this point. Malone remarked. 39 00:02:32,240 --> 00:02:36,240 Speaker 1: Gatson officials remarked that the case has been particularly difficult 40 00:02:36,280 --> 00:02:39,440 Speaker 1: for everyone involved, including law enforcement. 41 00:02:39,760 --> 00:02:41,520 Speaker 2: We want to make sure that we get justice for 42 00:02:41,560 --> 00:02:43,720 Speaker 2: that victim. We try to treat them like that's our family, 43 00:02:44,400 --> 00:02:47,720 Speaker 2: and being able to close this case in under twelve 44 00:02:47,760 --> 00:02:50,320 Speaker 2: hours is a big deal. Right now, we are comfortable 45 00:02:50,400 --> 00:02:52,480 Speaker 2: enough to be able to say that the person was 46 00:02:52,560 --> 00:02:54,920 Speaker 2: arrested did in fact commit that crime. 47 00:02:55,360 --> 00:02:59,480 Speaker 1: Tarika Pearl is being held without bond. More Crime and 48 00:02:59,600 --> 00:03:08,639 Speaker 1: Justice news. After this, in Fort Worth, Texas, authorities discovered 49 00:03:08,680 --> 00:03:11,640 Speaker 1: an infant inside a suitcase that had been abandoned in 50 00:03:11,680 --> 00:03:16,120 Speaker 1: a dumpster, as reported by w FAA. According to the 51 00:03:16,160 --> 00:03:19,520 Speaker 1: Fort Worth Police, the baby's mother, Courtney Minor, has been 52 00:03:19,560 --> 00:03:23,880 Speaker 1: taken into custody in connection with this case. Reports indicate 53 00:03:23,919 --> 00:03:28,120 Speaker 1: that witnesses saw Minor wheeling the suitcase toward a dumpster. 54 00:03:28,639 --> 00:03:31,760 Speaker 1: It is alleged that Minor admitted to placing the live 55 00:03:31,960 --> 00:03:36,080 Speaker 1: infant inside the suitcase and then discarding it in that dumpster. 56 00:03:36,680 --> 00:03:39,280 Speaker 1: Current jail records reveal that Miner is being held on 57 00:03:39,320 --> 00:03:42,120 Speaker 1: a baill set at half a million dollars. She faces 58 00:03:42,240 --> 00:03:45,480 Speaker 1: charges of capital murder concerning a child under the age 59 00:03:45,520 --> 00:03:49,600 Speaker 1: of ten and unlawful disposal of a corpse. At this time, 60 00:03:49,640 --> 00:03:53,160 Speaker 1: it remains unclear whether Minor has entered a plea or 61 00:03:53,240 --> 00:03:57,520 Speaker 1: secured legal representation. For the latest crime and justice news, 62 00:03:57,600 --> 00:04:01,240 Speaker 1: follow Crime Alert hourly update on your favorite podcasting app 63 00:04:01,600 --> 00:04:03,680 Speaker 1: with this crime Alert. I'm Nicole Parton.