2 charged with capital murder after body of kidnapped 3-year-old Kamille McKinney found in landfill

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WBRC) - 39-year-old Patrick Stallworth and 29-year-old Derick Brown have been charged with capital murder after Birmingham Police found the body of kidnapped 3-year-old Kamille McKinney in a dumpster at a local landfill Tuesday.

Jefferson County District Attorney Danny Carr announced the charges Thursday afternoon during a news conference. Stallworth and Brown will be transported to the Jefferson County Jail and held without bond.

The heartbreaking discovery of Kamilles body brought an end to a ten-day search that began October 12, after the toddler was kidnapped from Tom Brown Village housing community.

“This is a tough moment for this city. This is a tough moment for this family,” said Mayor Randall Woodfin.

Kamille’s body was found at 5:16 p.m. Tuesday evening at the Santek Waste Services Landfill in Gardendale Al. The Jefferson County Coroner performed an autopsy Wednesday, but did not list a cause of death.

The case is still under investigation.

Police Chief Patrick Smith said they plan to charge 39-year-old Patrick Stallworth and 29-year-old Derick Brown with capital murder and kidnapping. Smith added during a news conference Tuesday that there is no connection between the suspects and Kamille’s family.

Stallworth and Brown are in custody. Both were arrested October 13 when they were connected to a Toyota Sequoia that matched the description of the vehicle used in the kidnapping.

At the time, Stallworth was charged with four counts of Possession of Obscene Material of Persons Under 17 years of Age and three counts of Possession with Intent to Disseminate Obscene Material after police found images on his cell phone during the abduction investigation. He had been released of jail on $500,000 bond but was taken back into custody Tuesday night.

Brown has been held without bond since October 13 after authorities revoked her probation in a 2018 case in which she is accused of abducting her three children from DHR custody.

Tuesday’s update was the first news conference held by Birmingham PD since surveillance footage was released last Friday, showing two children, one believed to Kamille, playing when one man walked past them. Moments later, a man with a limp approached the children and they followed him out of the view of the camera.

During the news conference Tuesday night, Chief Smith discussed rumors about the family’s involvement. He said Kamille’s mother did not give interviews at the request of law enforcement, adding that police did not see the benefit of “throwing the mother in front of a camera."

“Tonight our entire city is mourning. Kamille is gone,” said Mayor Randall Woodfin. “Ripped away from her family. The pain her family is enduring is unimaginable. The perpetrator of this crime will be brought to justice and be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. So tonight Birmingham we mourn as one, please uplift this family. Uplift your own families. Hold your loved ones tighter."

Governor Kay Ivey released a statement following the news conference. It reads:

“Given the tragic news that is breaking this evening, I offer my heartfelt condolences to Kamille’s family. I offer profound thanks to law enforcement and to all the volunteers who have worked tirelessly in search of this precious little girl. The heart of our state is broken, but we must do all we can to avoid this happening to another family. Our prayers remain with Kamille’s family and all who have been touched by this nightmare.”

The Housing Authority of the Birmingham District also released a statement:

“HABD is deeply saddened and heartbroken to hear the devastating news that little Kamille McKinney’s life was taken away. We would like to express our deepest sympathy to her family and loved ones; and cannot begin to imagine the pain they’re going through. We stand with Mayor Randall Woodfin by asking the entire community to lift up Kamille’s family in prayer in a show of solidarity. Although Kamille was not an HABD resident, this occurrence has impacted everyone in the Tom Brown Village community. HABD will be offering grief counseling sessions on Thursday for Tom Brown Village residents to get help processing their emotions and discuss ways to speak with their children about their fears. It’s most certainly not the ending anyone wanted, however, HABD would like to thank the Birmingham Police Department for their long hours of investigative work to bring this case to a conclusion.”

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