Missing Fayetteville Children Found Dead In Woods

The two missing children from Fayetteville, North Carolina, who were just 2-years-old and 4-days-old, were found dead in an abandoned car earlier this weekend, the victims of apparent stab wounds that led to their deaths. Their father has been charged with the heinous crime. According to ABC11, the girls’ mother was not even out of the hospital when he took the children. They were considered missing until found dead in the vehicle, which was parked in a wooded area off of Highway 211 and Army Road in the Raeford area.

Tillman Freeman, 30, the father of 2-year-old Genesis and 4-day-old Serenity Freeman, was described by members of the children’s family as “an abuser” and said that he would not say where the children were when he was questioned by police as to their whereabouts. He was arrested at that time for child abuse and child neglect. After their bodies were found, he has also been charged with two counts of murder.

The children’s aunt, Marvina Smith, said that the children’s mother attempted suicide when she was informed of their death, but her attempt was not successful and she is currently in the hospital, recovering. Smith said she hoped that Freeman would suffer.

“I want him to suffer. The way them kids suffered. I want him to suffer.”

The motive for the killings is unclear, but the family stated that there had been a history of domestic violence. Shortly before the children went missing, there was an argument in the hospital between Freeman and the girls’ mother, in which he stated he believed he was not the true father of the children or one of the children, and that he thought the mother was involved with another man. Sheriff Hubert Peterkin said the husband and wife were arguing when he angrily took the two children and left the hospital, where his wife was still recovering from childbirth.

“From what our investigation’s telling us they had a dispute, where (Freeman) allegedly made accusations about the babies not being his, a child not being his or maybe her involvement with someone, and when he took the kids we understand he left in a rage.”

Each child was stabbed multiple times, according to the sheriff, who said the entire sheriff’s department and community is taking the deaths of the children very hard, but he said words don’t describe how they feel.

“It’s kind of hard to find the words to describe what this feels like. I know people read it, I know people see the story and hear about it, but to be out here on the scene and actually see this stuff, to see these children lifeless and brutally stabbed…I don’t care how many years you’ve been in it. How many times you’ve been in it or seen things, this was not a good experience. Everybody’s taking this real hard. Our heart goes out to the family, to the mother.”

The family is also at a loss for words, and expressed helplessness at the situation, according to one family member, who wished to remain anonymous.

“I feel sad and hurt, but there’s nothing I can do about it.”

Freeman is being held at the local jail and will make his first court appearance on Monday in Hoke County. Marvina Smith, the aunt of the murdered girls, said they had encouraged the mother of the children to leave her husband, who they said abused her frequently and was also allegedly a drug abuser. The family said that the girl’s mother is going though “the worst thing any mother ever could.”

“She’s not doing good at all. She’s having a breakdown — she will get up every morning and not be able to see her children.”

[Featured Image by Fayetteville Corrections Department]