One of the woman’s remaining adopted children told police he hadn’t seen his brother in years, leading to the discovery of two children’s remains in a burn barrel after Avantae Deven claimed one was “at a Buddhist retreat in the mountains.”
A woman has been arrested and charged with the murders of two of her adopted children not seen for years. Authorities in Fayetteville, North Carolina became aware of the situation after one of Avantae Deven’s surviving foster children made a mental health call to police.
According to local ABC affiliate WTVD , officers responded to the call of a child who told them he hadn’t seen his brother Blake in years. Blake had last been seen in 2022, when he was approximately 15 years old.
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When officers questioned Deven, she initially said that Blake “was possibly at a Buddhist retreat in the mountains,” said lead investigator Sgt. Jeff Locklear. They ultimately coordinate with the FBI on the case as more details unfolded.