Photo: WCTI
Her brother was allegedly abused too.
By Sarah Gangraw — Written on Dec 07, 2017
The father whose 3-year-old daughter was found dead Saturday shared documents from Child Protection Services that allege she suffered some disturbing abuse.
Shared with Crime Stories, the documents describe the sexual abuse Mariah Woods went through and the physical abuse her 10-year-old brother suffered at the hands of their mother’s boyfriend, Earl Kimrey.
Mariah’s brother claims he saw Kimrey “put his penis in the mouth of his sister Mariah.”
The documents also stated that the brother said Mariah’s mother, Kristy Hunter, knew about the sexual abuse the toddler was being subjected to.
She was also aware that Kimrey abused substances including marijuana, heroin, and methamphetamine.
The day the young girl went missing, Kimrey allegedly struck Mariah’s brother in the face which caused his nose to bleed. Again, he claims the mother knew of this and did nothing to stop it.
This has all come to light after Mariah’s body was found in a creek on Saturday. Kimrey was arrested right before they found the girl’s remains.
Mariah was reported missing by her mother around 6 a.m. on November 27. She and her live-in boyfriend Kimrey told law enforcement that Kimrey checked on Mariah at 11 p.m. the night before and when Hunter woke up, she was gone.
An Amber Alert was issued by Sheriff Hans Miller and the search for the girl began.
Mariah’s biological father, Alex Woods, didn't believe Hunter’s story and thought his ex-wife and her boyfriend “had something to do with it.”
“Someone just walked right up in there, grabbed the 3-year-old out of the bed and she didn't cry, she didn't scream?” the girl’s dad asked while talking to WCTI News Channel 12. “Nobody heard anything? Four people in the house, two adults and two kids someone just comes up and snatches the baby and walks out?”
Sadly, he was right.
Mariah’s body was found by dive teams on Saturday around 5:30 p.m. in a creek just 25 miles from her home. That was not the place of her death, though, according to the FBI.
Kimrey was arrested hours before the girl’s body was discovered for concealing her death and hiding the remains. Kimrey, who has a criminal history that dates back to 2005, is also being charged with obstruction of justice, second-degree burglary, felony larceny and possession of stolen property.
He is being held at the Onslow County Detention Center and his bond is set at $1,010,000.
Kimrey went before a judge on Monday and is scheduled to appear in court again on December 18.
“This investigation continues,” said Ernie Lee, district attorney for district 4.
A candlelight vigil was held for the deceased girl Tuesday. The event, which was organized by Linda Cledenin, ended up being much larger than expected.
Hundreds of stuffed animals were brought to honor Mariah, and items were even received from places all over the world, including Japan and the United Kingdom. Signs were set up where people could write a message. Her father wrote, “Daddy loves you Mariah.”
"There's just something about Mariah that just got to me," Cledenin said. "It's just heart-wrenching. And this child didn't deserve this and I just feel it deep down.”