The relationship between a mother and her child is a sacred bond. There is no more fierce creature in the world, whether animal or human, more protective than a mother. How, then, can one such creature blessed with a beautiful child betray that bond by allowing her child to be harmed?
It is this question that begs an answer, along with the whereabouts of five-year old Shaniya Nicole Davis.
Breaking news states that the mother of Shaniya, Antionette Nicole Davis, has been charged in the disappearance of her daughter. Among the charges filed against her are human trafficking, filing a false police report, and prostitution.
In addition, the man previously charged in the kidnapping of the little girl, Clarence Coe, has been cleared of that charge and released as the identification of the man in the video shown leaving the property has been positively made.
Did Antionette Davis sell her daughter to human traffickers? If so, why? How could a mother do such a thing to her child?
As the investigation continues, the search is still on for five-year old Shaniya Davis.
Fayetteville police spokeperson Theresa Chance said McNeill turned himself in Thursday night and has been questioned. She said he admitted to taking Davis.
Davis’ father pleaded at a Thursday night news conference for his daughter’s safe return.
“Shaniya, if you are listening to daddy … I miss you so much … I’m not going to give up,” Bradley Lockhart said.
Thursday, the Fayetteville Police Department had announced another arrest in the case. Clarence Coe, 30, of Brookwood Avenue in Fayetteville was charged with first-degree kidnapping after a witness told investigators they saw him leaving the mobile home park where Davis lives with her in his car.
But at Friday’s news conference, Chance said there is new evidence that shows Coe was not involved, and said he was released.
“I’m not an idiot, I’m not stupid, but I feel like I was violated,” Coe said. “The whole time I told the detectives I wasn’t guilty, they came and talked to my family, they said my family was lying.”
When ABC11 Eyewitness News asked Coe what he thought happened to Davis he said he did not know.
“I’ve been asked that by 13 detectives and everybody, I don’t know and I tell you like I told the detectives, I don’t think the mother had anything to do with it,” he said. “Do I feel there might have been some negligence somewhere, yes I do.”
Coe says Antionette Davis, the child’s mother, was his girlfriend and he says he wasn’t at the mobile home when the child disappeared.
“Every day I was there the little girl was never in the living room,” Coe said. “Every night when I slept there the little girl was never in the living room, so all I can say is educated people figure it out.”
Meanwhile, officials say McNeill has an extensive criminal background. An ABC11 check of his record turned up convictions for selling illegal drugs, assault, shooting into an occupied home, and more.
He was arraigned on first-degree kidnapping charges Friday and was ordered held on $100,000 bond. His lawyer said he would enter a not guilty plea.
Mario Andrette McNeill identified as man in surveillance video
Surveillance video shows a man carrying a girl identified by police as 5-year old Shaniya Davis in the hallway of a hotel in Sanford, NC about an hour after her reported disappearance.
Missing girl’s mother arrested
WRONGFULLY ACCUSED: Clarence Darriel Coe
Call Fayetteville Police at 910-433-1856 with any leads or information concerning Shaniya’s whereabouts.
