Police working to determine if body found in West Philadelphia is 4-year-old Damari Carter: sources
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- A child's body was found stuffed inside a duffle bag in Philadelphia's Mantua section, police said Monday.
Crews working at a property on the 600 block of North 38th Street made the discovery just before 10 a.m.
According to police, investigators believe the child was between the ages of 4 and 7 years old but haven't determined a gender.
Because the remains are "severely decomposed," police said they can't tell if there are any signs of trauma to the body.
Police sources say they are trying to determine if the body is 4-year-old Damari Carter, who has been missing since December.
Carter was reported missing on Dec. 30, 2023, by family members who hadn't seen him for weeks.
According to investigators, his mother told family members the child had been struck and killed by a car.
Police could not find evidence to corroborate that claim. Officers searched the neighborhood in West Philly where the 4-year-old boy lived but were unsuccessful.
In January, his mother and her boyfriend were charged in the boy's death.
Neighbors are in shock over the disturbing discovery.
"The fact that it is a child just makes me sick. It really does," neighbor Steven Tambon said.
Abdul-Kareem As-Salafi with the Philadelphia Anti-Drug Anti-Violence Network canvases the neighborhood weekly. He's working to help reduce drug abuse and violence among young people and their families.
"Almost every day I knock on a door and sit with a parent, cry with them. Watch them break down. It's the trauma," As-Salafi said. "We don't see this every day. To see that a young child was placed in a duffle bag and thrown away like trash, it somewhat haunts you."
As police search for clues, As-Salafi said he will continue building bridges within the community in hopes of preventing future tragedies.
"We take this home with us thinking about it and how can we better this situation so something like this never happens again," As-Salafi said.