SENATH, MO (AP) - Hundreds of mourners turned out to say goodbye to a 3-year-old Missouri girl whose body was found in a drainage ditch 10 days after she disappeared.
Breeann Rodriguez was buried Saturday after a funeral at Senath Church of Christ. She disappeared Aug. 6 while riding her bicycle in front of her home. Her body was found Tuesday.
Police have arrested 43-year-old Shawn Morgan, who lived near Breeann's home.
Authorities say Morgan told a drug task force agent that he suffocated the girl with a plastic bag after finding her on the ladder of his above-ground backyard swimming pool.
Morgan is being held without bond on charges of first-degree murder, armed criminal action and tampering with evidence. If convicted, he could face the death penalty.
(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
KENNETT, MO (KAIT) – The man charged with the murder of Breeann Rodriguez is sitting in a jail cell Tuesday night. Shawn Morgan had his first appearance before a judge.
Morgan faces three counts including first degree murder. In the arraignment the judge asked Morgan if he had an attorney and Morgan said his family is getting an attorney for him. The whole process lasted about two minutes, too fast for the family of the murdered three year old who wants justice served.
"Everything was so quick and everything was just like a shock not believing that this murderer is standing in front of us," said Brenda Ramos.
Breeann's family and friends were at the courthouse Tuesday. Her aunt Brenda Ramos said the family is going through the worst type of torture, especially knowing Breeann's alleged killer lives five houses away.
"Its horrible how could someone do that to a kid? Knowing that he's got kids too makes it even worse makes you wonder a lot of things," said Ramos.
Ramos said she has seen Shawn Morgan around the neighborhood but never dreamed the person police say is responsible would be someone she was familiar with.
"They would always tell us that she has to be around there somewhere but we didn't want to believe it because we trusted everybody on that street," Ramos.
Ramos said the pain of losing Breeann will always be with them.
"I'm very angry. I'm very angry that someone could do that to a three year old," said Ramos.
She said they will be here every time Shawn Morgan is in court waiting to find out what will happen to him.
"I want him to go to jail for a long time. I don't want him to ever be free ever," said Ramos.
The search for Breeann is still going on along the floodway ditches in Dunklin County where police say Morgan told them he dumped her body. A search Ramos said will continue until she is brought back home.
"It breaks our hearts because we want her home. We want to give her a funeral we want to see her or at least know that we know where she's at," said Ramos.
Morgan will be back in court on August 30th.
Copyright 2011 KAIT. All rights reserved.
Breeann Rodriguez (Source: NCMEC)
Breeann Rodriguez (Source: Edgar Rodriguez)
Shawn Morgan (Dunklin County Sheriff's Department)
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