SHANIYA NICOLE DAVIS -Aged 5 years - Fayetteville, N.C. (USA)

Associated Press

17th November 2009

By ALYSIA PATTERSON and MARTHA WAGGONER (AP)

Vigils held after body of missing NC girl found

SANFORD, N.C. — The father of a 5-year-old girl whose body was found off a rural North Carolina road regrets giving the girl's mother a chance to raise their daughter, even though she seemed to be getting her life together.

The girl's father, Bradley Lockhart, said he had a one-night stand with Antoinette Davis and mostly brought up their daughter before letting Davis take care of her.

A month later, Shaniya Davis was dead, her body dumped off a rural road and her mother accused of selling her for sex

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The Examiner

November 17, 2:22 PM

Shaniya Davis body found captured on video (video footage)

(snippet)

Shaniya Davis’ mother has been charged with child abuse including prostitution and it has been alleged that she sold Shaniya to a 29-year-old man, Mario McNeill for the purpose of sexual servitude. Shaniya, at the tender age of five-years-old was seen in surveillance videos at the Comfort Suites hotel in Sanford, North Caroling being carried by Mario McNeill. The footage was taped shortly before Shaniya Davis’ mother, Antoinette Davis, reported her daughter missing. Mario McNeill has been charged with first-degree kidnapping in the case.

Police have not released Shaniya Davis’ cause of death but an autopsy is being performed. The news of Shaniya’s death has ripped through the country as many hoped and prayed that the little girl seen on the video surveillance tape would be found alive.

It is expected that more charges will be filed against Shaniya Davis’ mother and Mario McNeill soon.