Tragedy has gripped Philadelphia as police confirmed, through DNA testing, that a child found dead inside a duffle bag last March is 4-year-old Damari Carter, who had been reported missing since December 2023, CBS News Philadelphia reported. The discovery puts a harrowing end to the search for the boy, who had not been seen by his family for weeks before they reported his disappearance on December 30.
Damari's mother, 28-year-old Dominique Bailey, and her boyfriend, 30-year-old Kevin Spencer, are now facing murder charges, among other offenses. Court documents show police had been closing in on the pair, executing a search warrant at a property near where Damari's remains were eventually found. At the time, the body was not yet discovered, FOX 29 News reported, despite Bailey having misinformed the family that her son had been hit by a car. Details came to light on January 5 when Bailey provided information regarding her involvement in the grisly crime.
An affidavit cited by CBS News Philadelphia detailed the horrific abuse Damari suffered at the hands of Spencer, watched by Bailey, leading to severe head swelling and blackened eyes. The mother's mere attempt to kiss her son goodnight revealed the tragic outcome. It wasn't until then that she realized Damari was dead. Subsequently, doorbell video footage appeared to capture Spencer dragging the child's body out of the home concealed in a bag.
Responding to the news of how her cousin's body was found, Aiyana Parrish expressed both shock and outrage, stating, "The way they found him is appalling," she described her feelings in an interview with Action News, "I wouldn't wish that on my worst enemy for someone to find him like that." She commended the worker who made the grim discovery, raising questions about why Bailey did not relinquish custody to Damari's willing father. She lamented about the boy's death, wishing him rest and remembering him as a "smiling, happy little boy."
As the community reels from the tragedy, the family prepares to lay Damari to rest while Bailey, maintaining her innocence through her lawyer, and Spencer awaits their preliminary hearing scheduled for June 18. The details surrounding the case unfold, revealing the harrowing fate that befell young Damari.
