Precious Doe has a name

I cannot think of any worse fate than to die without a name, without anyone knowing who you are -- or worse, for people not caring enough to step forward and identify you. It's all the worse when it's a 3 year old child, and "Precious Doe," as she was known since her remains were discovered in 2001, led to a great deal of shared grief and collective anger at who would do such a thing.

But four years later, she has a name, and a very sad story:

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- In a brief news release early Thursday morning, Kansas City police said that the young girl known for the past four years as Precious Doe has been identified.

In April 2001, a young girl's decapitated body was found in a wooded area near Hibbs Park at 59th Street and Kensington Avenue in Kansas City, Mo. Her head was later found nearby. Until now, police have not been able to identify the girl, and there were very few solid leads in the case since that time.

The girl has now been identified as Erica Michelle Maria Green, 3.

Investigators will hold a news conference at 10 a.m. Thursday at police headquarters.

Police Captain Rich Lockhart said everyone at the police department is "excited beyond words" by the development. Jackson County prosecutor Mike Sanders says he's been presented a file on the case and will be announcing charges.

Police went to Muskogee, Okla., this week to check out a tip that an Oklahoma woman may be the mother of the young girl. The information came from an Oklahoma man who contacted Kansas City activist Alonzo Washington after seeing an advertisement in a Kansas City newspaper. The man claimed to know the identity of Precious Doe and who killed her. The man claimed that Precious Doe's mother went to Kansas City in 2001 seeking a job, but became involved in drugs.

In other words it played out pretty much as I thought it would: the girl was never reported missing, her family allegedly killed her, and drugs were involved.

A sad story, indeed, but at least a completed one.

Comments

[Guyot]

Okay, you've ruined my day...

[Karen Olson]

Just moved on the wires: arrested the mother.

[jonquil]

Thank you. I have been haunted by Precious Doe for years. Now if only they can figure out Princess Doe (on the East Coast).

[christin]

absolutely heartbreaking.
what is wrong with people?

[Jeanne Ketterer]

Last night on Larry King a former FBI profiler said most crimes against young children were done by close family members or caregivers, not stranger murders, etc. So sad then to read today about Precious. Also, one of the other guests, Morrison I think her name was, said psychopaths aren't human. Unfortunately for Precious her mother was human enough to reproduce. May this child rest in eternal peace.

Jeanne

[Lauren Baratz-Logsted]

It always breaks my heart anew when I hear of these child murders where it becomes obvious that the last thing the child saw in this life was the person(s) who was supposed to love her most in the world, taking her life away.

[Jackie]

I was outraged that something so evil could happen to a beautiful child. She had been decapitated, stripped naked and abandoned in a wooded near a church for reasons that would only make sense to CRACKHEADS. My God, what kind of parents destroy their own offspring and throw them away like trash?

Please click on Jackie to view Precious Doe's memorial website I created.

[Shavontay Curry]

I couldn't do nothing but cry because she had look like my sister. I look at her picture and my little sister picture.