Jhessye Shockley Missing: Police Believe 5-Year-Old Was Left In Dumpster

Police in Arizona say they now believe the body of missing 5-year-old Jhessye Shockley was discarded in a Tempe dumpster and may be in a local landfill.

"We believe Jhessye Shockley's body was placed in a trash receptacle located in the city of Tempe prior to the report of Jhessye's disappearance," said Glendale Police Officer Tracey Breeden. "Our investigators know that trash from this location is removed to a transfer station and ultimately taken to the Butterfield Landfill located south of the valley."

Breeden said authorities have suspected for the past few weeks that Jhessye could be at the landfill and have been trying to determine the viability of a landfill search.

"That includes conducting analysis to determine the likelihood of success of recovering Jhessye's body. The decision whether to search will be finalized in the coming weeks," Breeden said.

Jhessye was reported missing on Oct. 11. The girl's mother, Jerice Hunter, 38, told authorities she left the little girl in the care of her other children while she ran some errands. She said the girl wandered away from her siblings and was missing when she arrived home.

Jahessye Shockley Case Photos: (Story Continues Below)

Last month, detectives arrested Hunter on suspicion of child abuse. The arrest regarded allegations that she had locked Jhessye in a closet and deprived her of food and water before her disappearance. Hunter was released from custody 48 hours later, after the Maricopa County Attorney's Office failed to press charges against her.

Investigators have made it clear they do not believe Jhessye is alive. They have described Hunter as the primary focus of their investigation.

Hunter's attorney, Scott Maasen, has told Tucsoncitizen.com that his client is innocent and police should focus their attention on finding Jhessye.

Breeden said today that Hunter has not submitted to a polygraph test.

"Our investigators encourage her assistance and cooperation in this investigation and would certainly make a polygraph examination available through her attorney," Breeden said.

The police officer added, "Our investigators [are working] diligently to locate Jhessye and solve this homicide investigation."

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Comments

[victoriaregina16]

02:53 PM on 01/04/2012

I wondered also, no more news about Baby Lisa?
Feel sorry for "Jesse" spelled in English the right way - can't spell their way...no child should go through something like that...

[Jacqueline Boyd]

10:16 PM on 01/03/2012

I suggested a long time ago that the landfill should be searched, What the police was waiting for is beyond me. How can they secure a murder charge without a freaking body?

[Said ThePrincess]

11:12 AM on 12/31/2011

I lived not to far from where this situation with Jhessye Shockley took place. Glendale Arizona. It was sad to see the three ring circus this (cough) Mother put on for the media.
This little girl never had a prayer. The one person, her own mother who was to love her, and protect her, failed her in the worst way possible. Killing her.

[riverrose28]

02:22 PM on 12/29/2011

I seriously don't think a cadaver dog could pick up a scent in a smelly landfill, and it would cost around a million dollars to search through one. Still this childs body needs to be found and laid to rest and her killer caught. I also have a gut feeling about the MOm, she is negligent just by leaving the children alone in the home while she went out, but I feel she did more then she is saying.

[Shyla22]

05:12 PM on 12/28/2011

So much ugliness.

[stellablu]

10:49 PM on 12/27/2011

It is almost 12/28 and what are they doing to find this child? They already found Aliahna, think that Ayla was kidnapped and what is the update on this precious child!! No new info same headlines since last week!! What are they doing??

[Shyla22]

05:09 PM on 12/28/2011

whatever happened to baby Lisa?

[stellablu]

05:38 PM on 12/28/2011

Yes!

[Said ThePrincess]

11:13 AM on 12/31/2011

Exactly! What happened to Baby Lisa??!!

[gemwillems]

10:28 PM on 12/27/2011

This makes me sick, I read stories of mothers putting there babies in microwaves, throwing them in dumpsters, possibly fathers throwing the child in a lake still in her car seat. I have to agree strongly with others. If the parents don't want the child-give them up to a loving family that can't for unknown medical reasons have children of there own. These children are innocent, loving humans, they deserve to live a full life. DON'T KILL THE CHILDREN...

[Ystorm]

12:33 AM on 12/27/2011

the sad thing is, she really is/was a cute little girl. i can't understand how we let people like that mother have kid.

[Debmeister]

06:40 PM on 12/27/2011

Yeah, she really is adorable. I was just thinking about her.

People, if you don't want your children, you don't have to kill them. There are so many that want to adopt a child at any age. Please please please do that instead.

[Bernette Nunez]

10:42 PM on 12/26/2011

I believe the grandmother of this poor little girl - already knew what had happened to her granddaughter when she started to accuse the police of "not" looking for her gg...It was all a cover-up! She was protecting her daughter....eventhough she was aware of the abuse her daughter had inflicted on her poor children....arrest the grandmother as well....hopefully, her little body will be found.....soon....Bless her Heart...Hopefully, her suffering has ended.............

[sylviafnj]

12:06 PM on 12/26/2011

I have a gut feeling her so call mother did it. Why is this so call mother permitted to have her children with her after she was locked up for abusing them. This laws sucks and don't give a damn about children. This is un believable. This wouldn't had happen to this lil angel if the mother wouldn't have gotten back her children. This is not a mother but a monster a demon.Check out the mother's photo she looks wack. I feel for the other children. This world is so beautiful but the humans mess it up with their stupid unfair laws.. What makes the world beautiful is the nature & the children. May Jhessye Shockley R.I.P. Sorry Jhessye, we failed you.

[Kimberly Owsley]

04:28 PM on 12/25/2011

Another sad, sad case where THE PARENT IS CLEARLY AND ENTIRELY JUST AS MUCH AT FAULT FOR THE DEATH OF THE CHILD AS THE MURDERER THEMSELVES, WHO WOULD HAVE NEVER GOTTEN THEIR HANDS ON THAT SWEET ANGEL IF HER MOTHER WASN'T A NEGLECTFUL IDIOT.

And as for the police -- What the everything-that-is-holy-HELL are you twiddling your thumbs for? There is a 5 year old girl's body in a LANDFILL and you're still CONSIDERING whether you're going to bother looking for her at ALL? WHY ARE YOU MAKING IT SO RIDICULOUSLY EASY FOR VIOLENTLY SICK PEOPLE TO MURDER CHILDREN? YOU WON'T EVEN LOOK FOR THE BODY AND ANY POTENTIAL CLUES IT MIGHT HAVE ON IT? YOU'RE PRACTICALLY TELLING THE MURDERER "Good job"!

People, this is why I BEG you, if you think you're being too strict and eagle-eyed and controlling of your child -- PLEASE KEEP IT UP. YOUR CHILD WILL PROBABLY MAKE IT TO ADULTHOOD ALIVE BECAUSE OF YOU.

[glory19]

04:11 PM on 12/25/2011

WHAT IS WRONG WITH THESE POLICE THAT MOTHER KILL HER OWN CHILD AND DUMP IN A LANDFILL JUST AS TRASH. THAT LITTLE WAS NOT TRASH SHE WAS A PRETTY ONE LITTLE GIRL AND A HUMAN BEING I CAN'T BELIEVE HER BUTT IS NOT IN JAIL.OK NOW THESES POLICE NEED TO DO THEIR JOB STOP DRINKING COFFEE AND EATING DONUTS THEY NEED TO DO THEIR JOB AND LOCK THAT MOTHER UP SHE KILL HER OWN CHILD.

[Ystorm]

12:29 AM on 12/27/2011

I guess all the caps will fix it. yelling is good.

[happyfeets]

01:46 PM on 12/25/2011

if the parent is guilty i hope they get the maximum sentence , and there is inmates that lying around watching tv that could be digging in the landfield, but this little girl is black and the cops dont see this as important. may god be with the little girl where ever she is.

[BlueIsOlie]

12:52 PM on 12/25/2011

So they've suspected for several weeks that she may have been thrown in the dumpster and now they will take several more weeks to decide whether or not to search the landfill. What are they waiting for? For all the evidence to be gone??? This is outrageous. We should all phone in to the Arizona authorities responsible for this case and ask them where their heads are at? Get out of your offices and find this little girl's body! Such a tragedy.

[kinslayer]

08:15 PM on 12/25/2011

I live in Glendale, AZ, and have been by the area little Jhessey lived in. This is a terrible story...About searching in the landfill, a few years ago they searched for the body of a woman and never found her. Even though they had blood evidence in the bin where the body was dumped and the rough location in the landfill where that trash was dumped. the search went on for weeks. As much as I would like to see her body found, and the murderer crucified(literally), I'm afraid there will be no happy or even decent end to this.

[sakismomiam]

12:08 PM on 12/25/2011

If she had the same features as Baby Lisa, her face would have been shown on more channels.

[Karmella]

02:50 PM on 12/26/2011

In both Jayhsee's and Baby Lisa's cases (like so many of late) I believe the mother's know exactly what happened to their children. While media coverage SHOULD be available for each and every child, I believe the only thing that coverage has done is make these 2 mothers nervous. They've made their statements, told their "stories" and they are sticking to it. I believe both mother's are as guilty as Susan Smith and Casey Anthony.

[Karmella]

03:19 PM on 12/26/2011

Forgive me for misspelling Jhessye's name. Seen it spelled different ways...

[Ystorm]

12:29 AM on 12/27/2011

that has nothing to do with it. baby lisa looks like a blockhead.