Shaniya Davis, Fallen "Angel" Remembered In Pictures

By: Edecio Martinez
Topics: Photos

(CBS/Family Photo)

Photo: Shaniya Davis.

SANFORD, N.C. (CBS/AP) For one week, North Carolina held its breath, hoping that 5-year-old Shaniya Nicole Davis would be found alive after her mother Antoinette Davis reported her missing Nov. 10.

PICTURES: Shaniya Davis Found Dead
PICTURES: Shaniya Davis' Vigil

But, seven days later, the reality that police say they are uncovering is far worse than anyone could have imagined.

Police believe Shaniya Davis' mother, Antoinette Davis, 25, sold her daughter into sexual slavery.

(CBS/Family Photo)

Photo: Shaniya Davis.

PICTURES: Shaniya Davis Found Dead
PICTURES: Shaniya Davis' Vigil

On Saturday, they arrested her and charged her with human trafficking, but, police say, she offered no help in finding her baby girl.

Then Monday, Shaniya Davis' lifeless body was found by rescue workers in a wooded area near a highway in Sanford, N.C., a small town 40 minutes south west of Raleigh and 30 miles from Shaniya Davis' Fayetteville trailer park home.

(AP Photo/Jim R. Bounds)

Photo: Vigl for Shanyia Davis in Fayetteville, N.C., Nov. 16, 2009.

PICTURES: Shaniya Davis Found Dead
PICTURES: Shaniya Davis' Vigil

"I still feel kind of sick to my stomach," said Angela Jackson, 27, of Sanford, who has a 2-month-old daughter and was one of hundreds who searched for days.

Another man, Mario Andrette McNeill, 29, has been charged with kidnapping the girl. He was seen on video surveillance carrying Shaniya Davis down the hallway of the Comfort Suites hotel in Sanford on the same day the girl was reported missing. A hotel worker called police, but by the time they had arrived McNeill and Shaniya Davis were gone.

McNeill eventually turned himself in, but refused to help officers find Shaniya Davis. Police claim he admitted to the kidnapping, but his attorney, Allen Rogers, says he will plead not guilty.

The relationship between McNeill and Antoinette Davis is not yet clear, although Antoinette Davis' aunt, Leona Cromartie, told the The Fay Observer on Sunday that she had met McNeill before. She also said that Antoinette Davis is pregnant.

Antoinette Davis only recently took custody of Shaniya Davis, according to the child's father Bradley Lockhart, who said he raised her for the first four years of her life. On Monday, on CBS' The Early Show, Lockhart pleaded for his daughter's life.

"Drop her off at Wal-Mart, anywhere, I don't care – just so somebody can find her and bring her back to the people that love her," he said. "She's a precious, little angel, full of joy … a little reserved when you first meet her, but once she gets to know you, she just runs around, plays and won't leave you alone."

Hours later, Shaniya Davis was found dead.

At a Monday night vigil for his murdered daughter, Lockhart, so weak he was held up by others, cried to a crowd of 500 "Lord, I come to you with open arms and it is hard … Don't give up on me and don't give up on Shaniya. She's right there with you."

Fayetteville police have not yet said if they will add murder charges for McNeill and Antoinette Davis nor if there are any other suspects in the case.

MEDIA
PICTURES: Shaniya Davis Found Dead
PICTURES: Shaniya Davis' Vigil

MORE ON CRIMESIDER
November 18, 2009 - Shaniya Davis' Little Body Found Near Deer Carcasses in Trash
November 18, 2009 - Police: No New Charges for Shaniya Davis' Death ...For Now
November 18, 2009 - Shaniya Davis' Aunt Says Mother, Antoinette Davis, was "Neglectful" Before Child's Murder
November 17, 2009 - Shaniya Davis Vigil: Tearful Father Bradley Lockhart Prays, "She's Right There With You"
November 17, 2009 - Antoinette Davis, Mom Accused of Selling Shaniya Davis as Sex Slave, is Pregnant Again
November 17, 2009 - Shaniya Davis, Fallen "Angel" Remembered In Pictures
November 16, 2009 - Mario Andrette McNeill: Things May Get Much Worse for Man Charged With Kidnapping Shaniya Davis
November 16, 2009 - Shaniya Davis Found Dead; Mother Turned Little Girl Into Sex Slave, Say Police
November 16, 2009 - Bradley Lockhart, Shaniya Davis' Father, Pled For Girl's Return in Vain
November 16, 2009 - Shaniya Davis Found Dead; Mother Turned Little Girl Into Sex Slave, Say Police
November 16, 2009 - Shaniya Davis Not Found: Cops Fear Missing Child is Dead, Search Focuses on Body
November 16, 2009 - Shaniya Davis: Missing 5-Year-Old Seen in Horrifying Hotel Video
November 16, 2009 - Shaniya Davis Missing: Mother Arrested for Human Trafficking, Putting Daughter in "Sexual Servitude"
November 11, 2009 - 5-Year-Old Shaniya Davis Missing; Foul Play Suspected

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by x0xBrookersx0x May 24, 2010 4:27 PM EDT: This makes me sick, that poor baby didn't do anything to deserve that. NO ONE deserves that. Her mother needs to be burned alive. How could she do that?!? UUUUUGHHH it makes me sooo mad reading this stuff. Why are people so horrible. People are the worst things ever. :( They need to take her other baby from her so she doesn't prostitute it out too..stupid b***h i hope you f***ing rot.; Reply to this comment


by Asuno November 28, 2009 8:17 PM EST: The sight of the fiend taking Shaniya into the hotel will haunt me for the rest of my life. I cant imagine the suffering that angel endured. God has reclaimed his angel because her parents did not deserve a blessing such as her. Her father is a cruel man who raised her for 5 years then placed her in a 'home' with obvious danger. He should be charged for child neglect. He knew the child was living with an addict. Shame on you Lockhart, you pain is nothing compared to what you cause this beautiful innocent child to endure.Love You Shaniya. I can only sleep at night knowing you have been taken from a life of pain.; Reply to this comment


by Justice-for-SHANIYA November 21, 2009 10:50 PM EST: This child endured HELL on earth for a whole month. It seems there was a "free for all" with these sick bastards. The final act was rape & suffocation. She was burned with cigarettes and suffered a whole bunch of stuff in the hands of Antoinette, Clarence Coe and Mario McNeill. Three MONSTERS hell-bent on destroying this helpless 5 year old child. I WISH jail-justice on them. JUSTICE for Shaniya.; Reply to this comment


by tmberoth November 20, 2009 4:33 PM EST: I have thought about this beautiful child every day since I heard about her disapearance. It bothers me deeply to know that this could ever happen to her. I will continue to be heart broken over this terrible thing that happened to an innocent child.; Reply to this comment


by GASIMMONS November 20, 2009 3:47 PM EST: First of all, I don't understand how a mother could hand off her child to a man knowing what was going to happen to her! I am disgusted by this story and these so called " human beings!" Shaniya did not deserve the life that she had and she did not deserve to be tourtured and murdered. She was a beautiful little angel that should have been loved and protected the way all children should be. I have 3 kids 16,10 and 4 and I would put my life on the line for anyone of them before I let someone hurt them! My 4 year old daughter looks so much like Shaniya it is eerie.. I look in my babies faces and think how in the world could anyone hurt a child and enjoy it and have no remorse! I hope this mother and this animal she handed her daughter over too burn in hell for all eternity, they do not deserve to live and have us taxpayers support them while they are given chance after chance to fight for their freedom. Did Shaniya have a chance to fight for hers? I can't get the picture of her little face looking so scared while this pig held her in his arms and it haunts me everyday. I am sick to my stomach everytime that image crosses my mind. I have cried and continue to cry for baby Shaniya and my heart goes out to her in her final moments in this cruel world. It' hard for me not to hold the father a little accountable in the torture and death of his beautiful daughter, he knew what type of person her mother was and still ignored all the warnings and let this angel go to her mother's hell hole anyway. Shame on all of you for not being there fo Shaniya and protecting her from this evil that surrouned her. Shaniya, I never met you but wish I could take your pain and suffering way. I see you in those pictures and wish I could reach in a save you from your fate, Shaniya, baby girl, rest in peace and go with the angels, they will hold you and protect you in heaven when so many have failed you on earth.....; Reply to this comment


by MsMika2710 November 20, 2009 1:25 PM EST: Before I start, I want to say my heart goes out to the father and his family.With my deepest sympathy may God keep Shaniya in his hands. But back to this piece of worthless, spinless animal, how could aperson do such things a baby? this beautiful angel that God gave to the world.To take a abay to a hotel and rape her, you could see the fear on her face in the video. And the mother? she's not a mother, she is just as spinless as this mario person. look at how they have no reaction or remorse for has taken place. mario has a smurk on his face. i hope they both burn for doing what they done to this baby. and the mother has the nerve to be pregnant again and on suicide watch? let her sit in prison for the rest of days(both of them) cause death would be too easy. they need to pass a law called an 'EYE 4 AN EYE'. Let someone do to them as they have done to little Shaniya.; Reply to this comment


by gands2008 November 20, 2009 8:24 AM EST: Nevermind the court days and prison days, put them some where to let anyone who wants to, beat the **** out of them and then hang them the rest of the way.; Reply to this comment


by sjdavis227 November 19, 2009 8:00 PM EST: HOW DARE YOU PEOPLE BLAME THAT MAN FOR WHAT HAPPENED TO HIS DAUGHTER..IT'S BAD ENOUGH THAT HE PROBABLY FEELS LIKE HE SIGNED HER DEATH WARRENT..BUT TO HEAR PEOPLE SAY ITS HIS FAULT IS JUST WRONG. THE ONLY PEOPLE WHO ARE TO BLAME ARE THE MOTHER AND THIS SICK MALESTER..THEY WILL BOTH BURN FOR WHAT THEY DID TO THAT POOR GIRL..WHEN DID WE AS WOMEN GIVE BIRTH TO CHILDREN, JUST TO TURN AROUND A KILL THEM..SHE WASN'T THE FIRST TO SIGN OFF ON HER CHILD AND BELEVIE IT OR NOT SHE WON'T BE THE LAST...IN LOVING MEMORY OF ANOTHER ANGEL TAKEN TO SOON....THANKS MOTHER OF FIVE NEW YORK; Reply to this comment

by RetPoliceChief November 19, 2009 4:55 PM EST

I would pay to throw the switch on the animal that raped and murdered this child and on the animal who is her so-called "mother."

Reply to this comment


by sjdavis227 November 19, 2009 8:03 PM EST: I WISH THEY WOULD ALLOW ALL THE CARING MOTHERS AND FATHERS OF THE WORLD, AND WHO LOVE ALL CHILDREN ..TO STONE THESE SELFISH SCUMS TO DEATH IN THE TOWN SQUARE...I WISH I COULD JUST GET WITHIN ARMS LEIGHT OF THESE BASTARDS

MOTHER OF FIVE NEW YORK


by supercatt November 19, 2009 7:20 AM EST: i m so mad right now over this pretty little girls death but for that so call mama put her a-- 2 sleep for ever and when you catch the low life dog or dogs who had sex with this pretty little angle you take his ***** off and give him a pu--y and everytime he goes to the bathroom he will remember he will see her pretty little face as long as he lives he will never forget never forget never forget because he dont know what to do with a *****; Reply to this comment