Teen who allegedly murdered 5-year-old half-sister arrested almost 500 miles away

October 5, 2020October 5, 2020 WKXA

MattGush/iStockBy JON HAWORTH, ABC News

(NEW YORK) — A 17-year-old teenager in Maryland has been arrested almost 500 miles away after allegedly killing his 5-year-old half-sister and fleeing to Ohio.

The incident occurred at approximately 8:15 a.m. when Anne Arundel County Police Homicide Detectives and the Anne Arundel County Police Department’s Evidence Collection Unit responded to a home in Pasadena, Maryland where they found a deceased 5-year-old child who had suffered from apparent trauma, according to a statement issued by the Anne Arundel County Police Department.

The victim, later identified as Anaya Jannah Abdul, was determined to have died due to multiple sharp force injuries and her death was ruled a homicide following an autopsy.

Evidence recovered at the scene of the crime revealed that her half-brother, 17-year-old Stephen Jarrod Davis, was the prime suspect in the homicide and authorities were able to secure an arrest warrant to charge him as an adult with the first degree murder of his 5-year-old half-sister.

“On October 3rd at approximately 11:30 a.m., detectives, with the assistance of Ohio police agencies, were able to locate Davis in the Springfield, Ohio area,” said Anne Arundel County’s Police Department in a statement. “Davis was arrested by Ohio authorities and is currently awaiting extradition back to Maryland. There were no additional criminal charges placed in Ohio.”

The Anne Arundel County Police Crisis Intervention Team is now working with the responding officers and the victim’s family to provide resources.

The motives for the murder are currently unknown and an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the killing is ongoing.