Attorney says man questioned in child abduction had nothing to do with girl’s disappearance
Published 10:53 am Friday, October 18, 2019
A man arrested after a girl was abducted in Alabama has nothing to do with the disappearance and was “taken aback” to be implicated, his lawyer said Friday.
Defense attorney Emory Anthony told a news conference that Patrick Devone Stallworth, 39, doesn’t know anything about what happened to 3-year-old Kamille McKinney.
Anthony called locating the girl, who is called “Cupcake” by relatives, the “top priority.”
“We hope that the Birmingham Police Department will do everything with the FBI to find the child. We hope the child is still alive, and the child is doing well,” said Anthony.
Police have identified Stallworth and a woman he dates as persons of interest in the disappearance of the girl. Both were arrested on charges unrelated to her abduction, and Stallworth is free on bond.
Anthony’s statement came as police released surveillance video seeking information about another potential person of interest seen near the abduction scene before the girl disappeared.
The unidentified man, shown near two children in the video, may know something about what happened, Police Chief Patrick Smith told a news conference.
Smith also sought community volunteers for a search planned for Sunday. Without disclosing details, Smith said the search would involve an area frequented by a person of interest in the case.
Anthony said Stallworth did own a vehicle sought by police after being seen in the area, but he denied that the man had anything to do with the girl or knows her family. Stallworth was near the scene for “legitimate reasons,” Anthony said, and has an alibi for his whereabouts at the time of the abduction.
Police say the girl was grabbed from a birthday party last Saturday, and her whereabouts remain unknown.
Stallworth was charged with four counts of possession of child pornography and three counts of possession of child pornography with intent to distribute. Derick Irisha Brown, 29, also of Birmingham, was arrested with him on a probation revocation with no bond for an unrelated kidnapping, police said.
Stallworth denies the charges filed against him, Anthony said.
An attorney appointed to represent Brown did not immediately return an email seeking comment.