A horrifying discovery at an Alabama funeral home has led to the arrest of a 29-year-old mother on suspicion of murder.
Police say the body of 1-year-old Blessence Pearl was found inside a hearse at West Gadsden Funeral Home around 11:45 a.m. on Saturday, Aug. 9. Staff initially thought they saw a doll in the back of the vehicle but quickly realized it was a child — not in a casket.
The funeral home’s owner, Dantez Robinson, told local media that employees had just returned from an appointment when they made the grim find. “We went out on a pickup, and this morning we get back… we got back to find an infant baby inside one of the hearses,” he said.
Investigators identified the child’s mother, Terica Pearl, as a suspect. She was arrested just hours later — at 1:48 a.m. on Sunday, Aug. 10 — and booked into Etowah County Jail without bond.
Police have not released a cause of death but confirmed the case is being treated as a homicide. Lieutenant Dusty Ford noted the swift progress of the investigation, saying, “In under 12 hours, the investigation moved from uncertainty to an arrest.”
Gadsden Mayor Craig Ford called it “a tough case for everybody involved” but praised the police for “going after the truth” and getting closer to justice for Blessence.
Authorities say the memory of the child will stay with them as they continue to seek justice. The investigation remains ongoing.
