For a week, 4-year-old Carnel Chamberlain was a missing child. But police say he's been found, dead, beneath the porch of his own house! I think it's safe to say this isn't the ending anyone wanted.
But as I read through the back story on the Michigan boy who never had a chance to grow up, I was struck by the week that his mom, Jaimee Chamberlain, had. For a week, she didn't know where her son was. And yet, for an extra week, I hope she held out hope that he was alive.
It's hard to say what is worse on a mother: to find out immediately that her child is dead or to spend a week tied up in knots, wondering. Waiting.
Police say Carnel was home with his mother's boyfriend the day he went missing. Jamiee has spoken out about her suspicions that her boyfriend (who hasn't been named by police) was somehow involved in the boy's disappearance. Earlier this week, she explained that she returned home from work and Carnel was gone, but said the boyfriend wasn't looking for him. After she did a thorough search of the home they share on a Native American reservation, she called the tribal police force and reported her son was missing.
That was June 21. Since then, Jaimee has had to wait. She's had plenty of time to question and second guess herself. It sounds like torture to me. I imagine she asked herself why she left her son with the kind of guy who police say has been only minimally cooperative. I bet she has asked herself all the questions a mother would.
If the little boy's body had been discovered right away, she would have been saved those questions. Police say they did check under the Chamberlain house for Carnel, but for some reason didn't see him there. Why they went back they won't say ... yet.
And yet, if Carnel's body was found immediately by the various police agencies, Jaimee Chamberlain would have been thrown into grief immediately. She wouldn't have had that "extra" time of thinking her child was alive.
I don't know if one really is better than the other. Either way, a child is dead, and there is no making sense of that. My thoughts go out to Carnel Chamberlain's family today.
What do you think of the week it took until they found this little boy's body?
Image via National Center for Missing & Exploited Children
This Hot Dad Wants to Do Your Ironing
This Hot Dad Wants to Cook You Dinner
This Hot Dad Cooks AND Does the Dishes
Kanye West is Gay?! 
Comments 102
The week must have been horrible on her! Though I know that at least she knows what happened to her kid and she wont be left wondering for years down the road what ever happened to her sweet baby. That must at least be some closure
Ummm... you feel bad for the "mom"?!? Did you read the actual article at all??? She stated that on numerous occasions she witnessed the boyfriend abusing the boy but did nothing. She saw her little boy with a busted lip, a black eye, swollen and bruised face and actually witnessed the man pick the boy up by his neck and drag him around. I think the mother needs to be in prison too and I do not feel bad for her in the least! I do feel a deep sadness for this boy who had to live and die in such a terrible way and for the rest of the family.
I live about 30 miles away from where this occurred, and from what the news is saying over here, they DID look there. They found the body badly burned and believe that someone moved the body and tried to cover up how he was murdered. According to the news the boyfriend's name is Anthony Bennett. Whether he did it or not, whoever did will rot in hell.
Either way is awful! Is there one way better than another? I don't think so! Poor, poor baby! I literally feel sick when I see and hear about child abuse and murder. These little ones are so vulnerable. Thank goodness, most of us cannot even comprehend these awful things done to little ones.
Rest in Peace, little one! I am so sorry your young sweet life ended in pain for you and such tragedy!
Nice police work. With a name like Carnel, I can only imagine the level of stupidity his parents posessed.
so sad for his mother who was at work when he disappeared. How horrible and gut wrenching she will forever feel evry time she steps out of her front door and goes to work! I would have already chopped up that front porch if it were me and burned it!
This makes me heartsick. I wish more women would put their children's safety ahead of their romantic relationships. Every time I hear a story like this about a missing child, I immediately think, "it's the mother's live-in boyfriend." And it almost never fails- that's who did it. PLEASE, moms. No man is worth the life of your baby. When a guy has nothing invested in that child, when your child belongs to another man other than your boyfriend, when your boyfriend doesn't care for that child like you do- and he DOESN'T, because that child ISN'T HIS- DO NOT LEAVE YOUR CHILD with him. And keep your eyes and ears open. NOBODY is more important than your child!