A tragic incident unfolded in North Carolina when a father allegedly kidnapped and killed his 6-year-old daughter before leading police on a high-speed chase.
Incident Details
Michael Rufus Roach is accused of threatening the mother of his child with a gun inside their home around 3 a.m. on Monday. After the altercation, he took their daughter, Mianna Roach, and fled in the mother’s car, according to the Polkton Police Department.
The mother called 911, but police did not issue an Amber Alert because there was no legal custody agreement between the parents. Instead, a “be on the lookout” alert was sent out for Roach and the stolen Jeep Liberty.
Around 8 a.m., deputies from the Anson County Sheriff’s Office (ACSO) spotted the vehicle in Wadesboro. When officers tried to pull him over, Roach refused to stop, leading to a high-speed police chase.
Police Chase and Tragic Discovery
As the chase continued, officers received information that the child might already be dead. The situation escalated from a domestic dispute to a murder investigation, said Polkton Police Chief Tim Hutchinson.
Roach lost control of the car on Little Creek Road, crashing into a ditch. When officers approached the vehicle, they found Mianna Roach in the passenger seat with a fatal gunshot wound. She was pronounced dead at the scene.
Roach was found in the driver’s seat with a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Officers provided first aid until emergency responders arrived. He was taken to Atrium Anson Hospital before being airlifted to CMC Main, where he remains in critical condition.
Investigation and Community Response
Authorities believe Roach shot Mianna inside the car before turning the gun on himself. The Anson County Sheriff’s Office is continuing the investigation.
In a statement, Chief Hutchinson expressed sympathy for the family and gratitude to law enforcement officers involved in the case.
Meanwhile, Mianna’s mother has started a fundraiser for her daughter’s funeral. She wrote, “I am trying to raise money to bury my beautiful 6-year-old baby girl, who left this world too soon by the hands of the father she loved her whole little life.”
Calls for Stronger Laws
Karen Baucom, director of the Anson Domestic Violence Coalition, explained that without a custody order, both parents have equal rights to the child. She emphasized the need for stronger laws to prevent domestic violence before it escalates into tragedy.
