Mother of missing Enterprise toddler charged with capital murder
The mother of a missing Enterprise toddler has been charged with capital murder
Enterprise Police Chief Michael Moore said Adrienne Reid has been formally charged with capital murder and abuse of a corpse in connection with the death of her daughter, Genesis Reid. The announcement came on March 9, what would have been Genesis’ third birthday.
Investigators said Genesis was last seen alive on Christmas Day while visiting family in Dothan before returning to the apartment she shared with her mother in Enterprise.
According to investigators, surveillance footage from a neighboring residence shows Adrienne Reid walking toward a dumpster at the apartment complex around 11:30 p.m. on Christmas night while pulling a rolling duffel bag. Police say the bag contained Genesis’ remains.
Two days later, investigators said additional footage shows Reid returning to the dumpster carrying toys and other items believed to belong to the child.
The investigation began Feb. 16 when Reid reported her daughter missing at approximately 3:10 a.m., claiming Genesis was not in their apartment on Apache Drive and that the front door was open. Detectives later determined the report was false, and Reid was arrested the following day on a charge of false reporting to law enforcement.
Authorities now believe Genesis had not been seen since Christmas.
Police say investigators spent weeks reviewing evidence, following leads and conducting searches with assistance from local, state and federal agencies before determining the child had been killed.
Coffee County Sheriff Scott Byrd said officials are preparing a large-scale search operation at the Coffee County landfill where the dumpster’s contents were taken.
Investigators have narrowed the search area to approximately 200 feet by 100 feet and about 8 to 10 feet deep in landfill debris. Byrd said the search will be slow and methodical and could take up to 10 weeks or longer because the trash was compacted multiple times before arriving at the landfill.
A specialized team from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children is assisting with planning the search.
Coffee County District Attorney James Tarbox said Reid will have an initial court appearance on the new charges later this week before District Judge Josh Wilson. Tarbox also indicated prosecutors intend to pursue the death penalty.
Authorities say investigators have devoted thousands of hours to the case, executing dozens of search warrants and reviewing large amounts of digital and physical evidence as they worked to determine what happened to the child.
Officials said the investigation remains ongoing as search efforts begin at the landfill in hopes of locating Genesis’ remains.
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