Sheriff: Man arrested after missing Alabama girl found dead

FORT PAYNE, Ala. – An Alabama sheriff says a man has been arrested and charged with murder after a missing 11-year-old girl was found dead recently near the man’s home.

DeKalb County Sheriff Nick Welden said in a statement Monday that 33-year-old Christopher Wayne Madison of Collinsville is being held without bond after his arrest on a capital murder charge.

Welden says the body of Amberly Alexis Barnett was found Saturday in woods about 200 yards (meters) behind Madison’s home. He didn’t elaborate, saying “the road to justice for this sweet, innocent little girl is too important to release anything to jeopardize this investigation.”

Authorities had said the girl was last seen Friday evening at her aunt’s home in Mt. Vernon.

It wasn’t immediately clear if Madison had a lawyer who could comment.