MADISON COUNTY, Texas (KRHD) — A decade after her skeletal remains were discovered inside a black suitcase off Interstate 45 near Madisonville, the young girl known as "Baby Madison" was finally laid to rest Tuesday at the Madisonville Cemetery — made possible through local donations and community support.
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More than 100 people attended the service to honor her. Heather Reeves, the victim services coordinator, told me she was touched by the outpouring of love and support.
"It's just been incredible to see everyone in our community step up for her," Reeves said.
Reeves said the community's response reflected a commitment to caring for victims in the county.
"She's still a victim for our county, so to see people love on our victims, whether they're alive or, you know, they were found in this unfortunate event, they're, they're going to come out and support them," Reeves said.
Her remains were discovered on September 17, 2016, by a property owner. Investigators determined she was a Hispanic girl between the ages of 2 and 5. She was given the name Baby Madison and was found wearing a pink dress covered with butterflies and the words "follow your dreams" on it.
She was wearing a size 4 diaper and was found with a feeding tube, which the FBI says would have required medical care.
Anita McWhorter, a local resident, said the loss weighed heavily on the community.
"It's hard. It's a child, it is somebody's daughter, somebody's granddaughter," McWhorter said.
"To come together for something like this and be generous and the donations that just shows the type of people that we have around here," McWhorter said.
Chuck Fleeger, with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, says the case is far from over. Although Baby Madison has become part of this community, Fleeger says the goal is to one day learn her real name.
"This journey is not, is not complete. The case is still open. There are still answers that, Baby Madison deserves," Fleeger said.
"She deserves to have her truth known as to who she was and who she is, so this is the next step, but this journey is far from over," Fleeger said.
Baby Madison's death remains an active homicide investigation. Anyone with information is urged to contact the sheriff's office.
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