Child taken, killed by father during pursuit in Anson County, SBI says

WADESBORO, N.C. — The North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation has been called in by the Polkton Police Department to investigate an incident involving an apparent murder and attempted suicide, involving a child in Anson County.

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“This morning, we had a tragic event here in Anson County,” Sheriff Scott Howell said.

Early Monday morning, a woman reported to 911 that her six-year-old daughter and vehicle had been taken from her home in Polkton allegedly by the child’s father. The Polkton Police Department identified him as Michael Rufus Roach.

PPD said Roach showed a gun to the mother and left with the child.

“Deputies made contact with him on the phone, and he expressed that he was in Richmond County and was going to return the child,” Howell said.

Roach didn’t show up at a meeting spot.

The Anson County Sheriff’s Office responded, issuing a ‘be on the lookout’ alert for the vehicle, a Jeep Liberty. The vehicle was located by deputies in Wadesboro just before 8 a.m., leading to a pursuit. The pursuit ended when the vehicle wrecked off Little Creek Road near Old Winfield Road.

Inside the vehicle, deputies found the 6-year-old girl had suffered a gunshot wound. She was pronounced dead at the scene.

Police say Roach shot himself in the car, and he was transported to the hospital in critical condition.

“I’m not sure where the child was shot, but all indications are that the driver shot himself at the scene after the collision,” said Howell.

Authorities believe Roach shot the child and then himself.

“Right now, our focus is on the family of the deceased child, because at the end of the day, she didn’t deserve what happened to her,” said Polkton Police Chief Tim Hutchinson.

The girl was identified as Mianna Roach.

Law enforcement officers were trying to help the girl but the outcome was not what anybody wanted, Hutchinson said.

“I spoke with the mother, like everybody else, she’s upset. You never want to live this,” Hutchinson said. “It’s a situation none of us want to deal with, I can tell you that. We didn’t want to be put in that position but we got to do what we got to do.”

Criminal charges against Roach are likely pending the outcome of his recovery in the hospital.

Check wsoctv.com for updates.

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