VIDEO: PD talks new details in case of missing girl

GLENDALE, AZ - Police held a press conference Monday, detailing the latest twists in the investigation into missing 5-year-old Jhessye Shockley.

Glendale Police Sgt. Brent Coombs led the news conference, explaining that Jhessye's mother, Jerice Hunter, has been taken into custody on child abuse charges .

Coombs also answered questions about the ongoing investigation, admitting that police believe it is unlikely the young girl will be found alive.

Monday’s Statement from Glendale Police Department

GLENDALE , Ariz. –   On Monday November 21, 2011, the Glendale Az Police Department, along with our partners from the FBI, served a second search warrant on Jerice Hunter’s apartment near 45 ^th Avenue and Glendale, in Glendale.  This is the same location where Jahessye Shockley was reported missing from on October 11th.  The search warrant was served based on information recently received by Glendale Investigators, which cannot be discussed with any specifics at this time. 

All leads that have come in to date, which dealt with sightings or a belief that extended family members have Jahessye, just have not been found to be accurate.  More substantive current leads have pointed back towards the apartment in question and Jahessye’s mother, Jerice Hunter.

Today Jerice Hunter was arrested by the Glendale Police Department for Child Abuse directly related to her daughter Jahessye Shockley. Investigators have yet to find Jahessye.

Questions on the use of a polygraph have continually come up.  The Glendale Police Department has offered the polygraph to Jerice Hunter on more than one occasion.  To date, Jerice Hunter has not cooperated with those offers.

About a week ago, The Glendale Police Department, in conjunction with Silent Witness, made arrangements to increase the reward to $25,000 for information that would assist law enforcement in locating Jahessye Shockley, and bringing to justice that person or persons responsible for her disappearance.   Now, with information that has come to light in the past few days, investigators believe it highly unlikely that we will find Jahessye alive.   However, the reward still remains in place for information that will help us find Jahessye and charge that person or persons responsible.

Our department does not consider this case closed by any means.   This is just another step down the investigative path towards that closure.  Our mission will continue to be locating Jahessye Shockley.