“I’m still living this nightmare.”
When April Thomas’ daughter, Kamille McKinney known as Cupcake, went missing in October, Thomas was in a constant state of wondering and worry with few there to simply understand.
“Enough is enough.”
But, as the hope of getting an answer came crashing down, Thomas has found inspiration, now wanting to bring awareness to the community, and even the state, for Cupcakes birthday in April 22, around spring break.
“I just want to educate them on stranger danger awareness to make sure this doesn’t happen again, so our kids can be safe and let them know that people like that are not allowed in our community.”
She says its time for the community to stand strong and the only way to prevent child abductions is get together as one.
An autopsy found that the body of Cupcake, found dead in a dumpster after she was kidnapped from a birthday party at Tom Brown Village, was given meth and a sedative before she was murdered in October.
Derick Brown and Patrick Stallworth have been arrested and charged with capital murder.
According to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, roughly 800,000 children are reported missing each year in the United States. Roughly 2,000 per day with 115 child “stranger abduction” cases each year, which means the child was taken by an unknown person.
Meantime, Thomas hopes that Cupcakes birthday is brings attention to the issue and wants no family or their missing loved one to ever feel forgotten, and says bringing them together offers her the peace, comfort and healing that she yearns or everyday.
“I don’t think I can see another child go through that again, being somewhere they’re comfortable and someone comes in and intrudes on they — and it just violates me and my family, it violate the community, it violated the city. It violated everyone.”