Zion Foster's remains not found in landfill search, suspect could face additional charges
(CBS DETROIT) - Detroit Police Chief James White announced the conclusion to Operation Justice For Zion, a partnership with local, state, and federal agencies to find the remains of the missing teen in a Macomb County landfill.
"The ultimate goal was not to be a hero who did the dig, it was to be a hero to recover this child and bring her home to her mother," Chief White said.
"Unfortunately, that did not occur."
After digging for five months at Pine Tree Acres Landfill investigators were not able to locate Foster's body.
Crews searched through 15 million pounds of debris.
The community donated over $473,000 to help fund the massive operation.
"Well, the night of October 9th, we shut it down," said Sgt. Shannon Jones.
"We stopped searching and at this point is where we began to clean up our area and remove all of our equipment."
The 17-year-old was last seen January 4th when she left her Eastpointe home with her cousin Jaylin Brazier.
Brazier confessed to dumping the teen's body, claiming she went unresponsive while smoking marijuana.
"Because we were unsuccessful in this recovery does not take away from the evidence that she is there," said Commander Michael McGinnis.
The 24-year-old-man is serving four years in prison for lying to officers in a violent crime investigation.
"I'm confident that our investigators are going to do every possible thing that they can to ensure that what's needed for prosecution is in that investigative report and hopefully charges will be administered against the person that we are confident is the suspect," Chief White said.