Grand jury indicts NC man in death of 3-year-old Mariah Woods

JACKSONVILLE, N.C. — A grand jury has indicted a North Carolina woman's live-in boyfriend in the death of her 3-year-old girl.

Local media outlets report the Onslow County grand jury indicted Earl Kimrey on charges including first-degree murder and felony child abuse inflicting serious bodily injury in the death of Mariah Woods.

Mariah's body was found Dec. 2 in a Pender County creek after being reported missing from her home on Nov. 27. Kristy Woods, said at the time that she last saw her daughter when she put her to bed the night before she was reported missing.

[Remains positively identified as 3-year-old North Carolina girl, DA says]

[$1M bond set for man charged in 3-year-old NC girl's death]

Kimrey told authorities that Mariah got up after Woods was asleep and was sent back to bed, and that he left the door unlocked when he left the home for a short period of time.

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Associated Press