A five-year-old Kansas girl who had been kicked out of her dilapidated home and forced to live in a homeless camp in the woods has been raped and murdered.
Mickel Wayne Cherry, 25, who is believed to be known to Zoey Felix, 5, has been charged with first-degree murder and rape in connection to the egregious death.
Zoey was found by Topeka Police at a gas station with life-threatening injuries and taken to hospital where she was pronounced dead.
Prior to her senseless death, Zoey had been living in a house not far from the camp with neighbors saying that they’d contacted police a number of times to report neglect and concern.
Shaniqua Bradley told kctv that she was sickened by the death, while another neighbor Sharon Williams revealed ‘Zoey has been on her own the entire time.’
A five-year-old Kansas girl who had been kicked out of her dilapidated home and forced to live in a homeless camp in the woods has been raped and murdered
Mickel Wayne Cherry, 25, who is believed to be known to Zoey Felix, 5, has been charged with first-degree murder and rape in connection to the egregious death
‘I reported it. I’m sure we all have reported it several times, but nothing was ever done that I’m aware of,’ said Williams.
Topeka police had been to the young girl’s home several times with the most recent welfare check in early September. They reported there had been no power in the house.
In their report obtained by the outlet, police wrote: ‘Officers met with the child who was in good spirits and apparent health.
‘The child was left in the care of their parent, per the custodial agreement. Officers then left the scene.’
Williams told KSNT that surrounding families would often have to feed and cloth the girl and she would often ask them if she could stay with them.
‘Everybody on the block took care of Zoey,’ said Sheryl Tyree. ‘Everybody loved Zoey, except her parents.’
The young girl often had to look after herself, and was seen running around unsupervised.
According to the Topeka Capital-Journal Zoey had a volatile living situation and has allegedly been living with Cherry in the ‘deplorable’ home.
Two weeks ago, Zoey’s mother, Holly Jo Felix, 36, who has a criminal record reportedly kicked her and others out of the home and they went to live in the wooded homeless camp.
Two weeks ago, Zoey’s mother, Holly Jo Felix, 36, who has a criminal record reportedly kicked her and others out of the home and they went to live in the wooded homeless camp
Prior to her senseless death, Zoey had been living in a house (pictured) not far from the camp with neighbors saying that they’d contacted police a number of times to report neglect and concern
Holly pleaded guilty in 2018 to aggravated battery causing bodily harm with a deadly weapon against a victim who was only referred to as ‘ZF’ with a 2018 birthdate.
She also pleaded guilty to driving under the influence with a child in the vehicle and was on probation at the time of Zoey’s death.
Felix also has previous convictions for possessing stolen property and domestic battery in Nevada, and was at one point barred from having contact with Zoey’s father, Ezepquiel Felix-Guerrero, as well as another victim believed to be Zoey’s half-sister.
Neighbors also claim that the Kansas Department for Children were called multiple times in the weeks leading up to her death after reports of it having no running water and being covered in feces but nothing was done, the Capital-Journal reported.
‘It was always ‘Can I stay? Can I stay?’ neighbor Bradley said of Zoey. ‘Normally when a kid is persistent about staying like that, something’s going on at home.’
Topeka police confirmed Thursday that they made three visits to the home in September: One on September 5 for a welfare check following a report that the home had no electricity; and two domestic disturbance calls in the afternoon and evening of September 19, a little more than an hour apart.
‘I just reported the neglect that was going on,’ Williams said. ‘She’s always dirty, no food unless some of us fed her, but they didn’t obviously take it serious.’
In this undated photo provided by Shaniqua Bradley, 5-year-old Zoey Felix plays at Bradley’s house in Topeka
A tent sits in a grove of trees on a wooded lot amid businesses in Topeka. Neighbors suspect Zoey Felix, 5, Cherry and Zoey’s father were living there
Police did not provide details about those two calls.
City spokeswoman Gretchen Spiker said in an email that during the first call, officers confirmed there was no electricity and that they were told the child wasn’t staying there.
Police met with the child, saw she was in ‘good spirits’ but still made a report to child welfare and property officials, Spiker said.
The city moved to condemn the house but backed off when the utilities were turned back on. Neighbors said that everyone but the mother had moved out by then.
‘I just reported the neglect that was going on,’ Williams said. ‘She’s always dirty, no food unless some of us fed her, but they didn’t obviously take it serious.’
Cherry was jailed in Topeka on a $2 million bond, and his next court appearance has not yet been determined.
Shawnee County District Attorney Michael Kagay said that a decision about seeking a death sentence won’t be made until after a preliminary hearing to determine whether Cherry stands trial. That is standard in capital cases.
Mark Manna, of the Kansas Death Penalty Defense Unit, said his office would represent Cherry, but that he had no further comment. Cherry’s family didn´t respond to messages.
Zoey Felix, a 5-year-old girl, is honored with a makeshift memorial of flowers, balloons, signs and toys along a sidewalk
A sign calling for justice sits among toys, balloons and flowers in a makeshift memorial honoring Zoey
Kagay said in a news release that Topeka police rushed to a gas station where fire crews were attempting to save Zoey´s life.
She was later pronounced dead. A medical examination at the hospital revealed injuries consistent with sexual assault.
‘I think the investigation into the murder and rape of this 5-year-old girl is fairly complete,’ Kagay told reporters during a brief news conference.
When asked about potentially charging other people, Kagay said, ‘I’m willing to consider any actionable investigations brought to me.’
But when asked whether he is aware of any other investigations, he said, ‘I’m not.’
Timothy Phelps, deputy director of the Shawnee County Department of Corrections, confirmed that Cherry used to live at the same address as Zoey, but at the time of his arrest, Cherry was homeless.
Cherry has no criminal record in Kansas, but he does have a misdemeanor criminal trespass conviction in Amarillo, Texas.
Its believed Cherry has been living with Zoe in the makeshift homeless campsite near where she was found with life-threatening injuries
Cherry was jailed in Topeka on a $2 million bond, and his next court appearance has not yet been determined
Neighbors said they had raised concerns that Zoey’s family home had no electricity and that they called the police and child welfare.
‘She just had a good spirit to her. Honestly, very outgoing, smart. She was curious about everything. She´d ask you a 1,001 questions, and she demanded answers for those too,’ said Shaniqua Bradley, a neighbor.
A makeshift memorial of flowers, balloons and toys sits nearby the campsite now.
Two state senators announced that they would press the Kansas Department for Children and Families for details on what happened to Felix.
‘We have to do more,’ Senator Oletha Faust-Goudeau said. ‘This is, this is unacceptable.’
‘We really need a deep dive on why the system is failing,’ added Senator Molly Baumgardner.
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