Authorities Charge Neighbor with Murder in Connection with Missing Missouri Girl

After announcing this morning that they had made an arrest in connection with the disappearance of 3-year-old Breeann Rodriguez, local authorities in Senath, Mo., have charged that person with murder. While searchers have had no luck in finding Breeann Rodriquez dead or alive or the bicycle she was last seen riding, they have made an arrest and filed murder charges.

A local news report stated that 43-year-old Shawn Morgan of Senath has been charged with first degree murder. According to The Daily Dunklin Democrat, Morgan has also been charged with armed criminal action and tampering with physical evidence. Dunklin County Prosecuting Attorney Stephen P. Sokoloff informed the public at a press conference that Morgan was charged with causing Breeann's death by suffocation. According to another news report, the arrest of the father of three was made late Friday night. Neighbors of Morgan saw FBI investigators carrying items out of the suspect's home.

Currently, searchers with the Dunklin County Major Case Squad, the Missouri State Highway Patrol and the Missouri Department of Conservation are combing an area near Senath for the little girl's body. The exact location where the search is being conducted has not been disclosed. Searchers are also dragging waters in an undisclosed location in an effort to find the girl's body. They have not yet released details about how Morgan came to their attention or what evidence prompted the charges against him.

Breeann disappeared on Saturday, August 6 while riding her bicycle in front of her home in Senath. Authorities had little to go on in her disappearance but on Tuesday evening and Wednesday morning, three pieces of potential evidence were found about two miles from her home. Two of those items were training wheels that authorities said may or may not have been the wheels from the pre-schooler's pink bike that she was riding at the time of her disappearance.

Authorities did not release information about the third item found and all three items were sent to a crime lab in order to determine whether or not the training wheels were from her bike and other information regarding the case.

Authorities have stated that Morgan is not related to the Rodriguez family but was a neighbor to the family. They have not released information on any criminal history for Morgan.