In Alabama, police are searching a landfill in connection with the heartbreaking case of a 2-year-old girl thought to have been killed by her mother and discarded in a trash can on Christmas Day.
Genesis Reed was reported missing on February 16, but investigators believe her mother murdered her over a month earlier, on December 25, at their home in Enterprise, Alabama, as noted in a press release from local officials.
Adrienne Reed, Genesis’ mother, was arrested in March. She faces serious charges, including capital murder and abuse of a corpse related to her daughter’s death.
Police Chief Michael Moore shared that surveillance footage captured Reed throwing what appears to be a duffel bag—believed to contain Genesis’ remains—into a dumpster shortly before midnight on Christmas. Just two days later, she allegedly returned to the same dumpster with toys and other items that likely belonged to her daughter.
Moore announced at a Wednesday press conference that the police, in coordination with other agencies, will begin sifting through Coffee County’s landfill in early May. They hope to recover Genesis’ remains during this challenging operation, which he described as physically and emotionally demanding, potentially lasting several weeks.
The chief estimated the search could take up to nine weeks due to the landfill’s extensive size but didn’t specify the exact area they’ll be combing. Sheriff Scott Byrd mentioned that they’ve narrowed the search area to approximately 200 feet by 100 feet, with debris piled 8 to 10 feet high.
Bird also noted that the duffel bag may have been compacted multiple times and further processed with a bulldozer before reaching the landfill.
Moore indicated that up to 60 search crews and support staff would be on-site daily, and the area will be closed to preserve its integrity during the search.
Adrienne Reed is set to be arraigned on August 6. Alongside her murder charges, she faces additional charges for allegedly providing false information to police when she first reported her daughter missing.
Coffee County District Attorney James Tarbox has expressed intentions to pursue the death penalty in this case. He remarked that Reed’s actions speak volumes and that this decision aligns with the community’s values regarding the protection of children.
The cause of Genesis’ death has yet to be determined.
