Remains found in search for Maleah Davis arrive in Houston for ID testing

HOUSTON (WGHP) -- The remains found in Arkansas during a search for 4-year-old Maleah Davis have arrived in Houston, where they will be tested to determine the identity and cause of death, police said.

Community activist Quanell X, who used to represent the young girl's mother, told reporters that she is home.

“This has been a very, very, very rough day,” he said. “I just want to say to everybody here at the city of Houston and everybody around the world that has prayed for Maleah. She's home.”

Earlier Friday, Houston police had said child remains found in a bag in southwest Arkansas may belong to Maleah.

Maleah was reported missing in early May by her mother's former fiance, Derion Vence. He initially told police that Maleah had been abducted by a group of men — but investigators found signs of decay in his car and blood evidence in his apartment.

Vence was arrested and booked into the Harris County jail in May on suspicion of tampering with a human corpse, according to police.

What led police to Arkansas

The search for Maleah moved to Arkansas after Vence allegedly confessed to Quanell, who visited him in jail Friday, that he dumped Maleah's body there.

“One thing he wanted to make clear to me was (that) what happened to Maleah was an accident, he says it was an accident. And he confessed to me where he dumped the body,” the activist told CNN affiliate KTRK.

Quanell said Vence told him he pulled over in Arkansas, got out of his car and dumped the body off the road.

Houston police detectives along with a search and rescue teams immediately headed to Arkansas. Houston police requested that local authorities begin searching near Hope, a town about 30 miles northeast of the Texas-Arkansas border.