Family Held Out Hope For 5-Year-Old Mariha

DETROIT (WWJ) - The remains of a child's body found in a burned home on Detroit's west side have now been identified as those of missing 5-year-old Mariha Smith.

WWJ Newsradio 950's Stephanie Davis reports that family members believed that Mariha was alive and continued to search for her until they were told by the medical examiner that Mariha was the little girl found dead in the burned out home.

Diane Henry is Mariha's grandmother and she spoke to WWJ's Stephanie Davis.

"She always kept a smile on her face, she always wanted to be a singer, they didn't have to do that to my grand-baby, they didn't have to do that to my grand-baby," she cried.

Police are investigating the disappearance and murder of 5-year-old, Mariha, who was taken from her home in Detroit sometime Sunday morning and was later found dead in a burned out home about a mile away.

Investigators want to talk to a man who was seen buying gas in a near-by gas station in the hours before   Mariha's badly burned body was found.

"This hurts so bad, words just can't describe how people feel, you know, family members just a big family, we're a family that is coming together," said Michael Williams boyfriend to Mariha's grandmother.

Family and friends continue to stop by the house offering condolences to the family or leave a note or item in memory of the little girl.