Body of 10-year-old Jalayshia Alford found in Lindenwold, New Jersey: sources

Sad news to start things off on the show today, something that we have been following for the last couple of days, specifically our Kelly Rule has been on this case. And Kelly, obviously, we were expecting or hoping for a better outcome. That's not the case as the community gathers to look for answers and to mourn. Yeah, Bill, the weather certainly matches the mood out here. You can see there is a gathering happening for 10-year-old Jalaysha Alford following the news that her body was found in Lindenwald, New Jersey. That's according to law enforcement sources who tell me that they were, or investigators rather, were led there by someone familiar with what was going on and they discovered her in the trunk of a vehicle there last night. You said it, the update that absolutely everyone feared and absolutely no one wanted to hear. Organizers, There's community advocates telling me they were going to come out here at 2 o'clock to do a search and then when they got news of this they decided to do a vigil and balloon release instead. This is devastating for the community. People were searching last night, again they were planning to search today and we're holding out hope that she would be. We know that family members are out here this week, too. We talked with them. We talked with her aunt, her grandmother, her siblings, and they were putting flyers all over the city, anywhere they could, hoping someone would see her and know that she was safe. As we've been reporting, law enforcement sources told me that she went to school on October 22nd and was seen coming home to the 500 block of North Simpson Street, where she lived with her foster mother. But that was the last day she was seen. She did not go to school that Friday, was not seen Saturday or Sunday, and then was reported missing on Monday, October 26th. And investigators did have some concerns about that delay in reporting and about some timeline issues and inconsistencies, and that's why the FBI joined the search in recent days. And they were out here, you know, for days canvassing for video, speaking with neighbors. We know last night they searched Cobb Creek Park. Did not make any discoveries, but then not long after, again, were led to her body in Lindenwold, New Jersey. And that car that she was found in, I'm told, belongs to a relative of the foster mother. So we do know that there is one person in custody being questioned by homicide detectives at this hour, but so far no arrests or charges. The district attorney's office did announce that they will be having a press conference at 5.30 this evening. That involves police, FBI, prosecutors, really everyone that was at the table. For this 10-day search for her, so they'll certainly have more information. Well, and Chris O'Connell is there where, unfortunately, the body was discovered, and so we'll get some more of the details of that from him. But Kelly, I mean, obviously the mood and the community, somber and sad, but you can see as people continue to arrive, this was a community that was uniting and really hoping for the best. So I'd imagine it's just shock. Bill, you cut out there. I don't know if anyone back there is able to reconnect us. I can't hear you. Okay. Well, that's all right. We will leave it there with our Kelly rule. Thank you, Kelly. We appreciate the update. I was just getting a temperature on the mood out there, but it's. Pretty obvious, as you can see from the balloons, you could see from the members of the community continuing to come there to show their respect. They were hoping to go out and do a search, but that's not the case. So we move from our Kelly Rule to our Chris O'Connell, who continues to be on this story as well. Chris, Kelly kind of gave us the overview of what happened, but from where you are is where the grim discovery was made. Yeah, Bill, you said it. Shock. As you can imagine, we are about 20 miles away from where Jalacia Alford was last seen in West Philadelphia. We are in another state in Lindenwald, New Jersey at an apartment complex. And over last night... People that live in this fairly large apartment complex saw many police officers, unmarked vehicles, and just a lot of police activity, having no idea what was going on and learning today that the body, according to sources, Jalaysha Alford, was found in a car inside this parking lot at the Stonington Court Apartments. If we can take you live, you saw those balloons at... Outside of Jalasia's home in that neighborhood, well, we found a couple people or one mother of an 11-year-old who came here, heard the sirens, just heard about what happened. She felt compelled to come out and lay some balloons and a teddy bear in Jalasia's honor. We talked to other people, a man who was actually helping in the search in West Philadelphia. He actually has a restaurant in this neighborhood. So we talked to him about finding out that tragic news today. All of us black men were out in West Philly looking for this little girl. And just to find her right down the street from the restaurant all the way over here, man, is just heartbreaking. So many of those people in West Philadelphia helping out on that search were supposed to be on that search today. As far as whose car it was that body was found, right now sources are saying it may have some connection to do with the Foster family, but so far nothing has been confirmed yet. We're awaiting some more information. from police, but as Kelly was saying, very sad news on a day they were going to continue a search 10 days after Jalasia Alford was missing, now getting the tragic news. Her body was found 20 miles away in the trunk of a sedan here in Lindenwald, New Jersey, Bill. Yeah, it's just, I mean, it's tragic, and you're announcing it. We're just kind of sitting here shaking our head. There is supposed to be a press conference a little bit later on today. But, Chris, it sounds like right now authorities are still looking for help for people to kind of continue to piece this together. We know the tragic outcome, but have no idea why or what. Yeah, of course, in any investigation like this, they always ask people to come forward with any information that they know. But in terms of the criminal investigation and forensic evidence, that car certainly is the focus of that investigation right now. It's just sad. Thank you, Chris O'Connell. We appreciate it. I mean, it is one of those situations where you really have no words. Everybody was praying and hoping and a community was coming together, hoping for a better outcome. That is not the case, but we will keep you posted as we get more information, as authorities can update. And of course, that press conference that we're expecting a little bit later on.