WAUSAU PILOT AND REVIEW
Family members of 2-year-old Noelani Robinson, who was missing since Monday, have confirmed to a Milwaukee TV station that she was found dead in Minnesota.
WISN is reporting that two family members and a family spokesperson made the confirmation early Saturday morning.
Robinson was the subject of an Amber Alert issued Monday. On Friday, Milwaukee Police Chief Alfonso Morales asked for help “from the entire nation” to find Robinson. The FBI also offered a reward for Robinson’s return.
He said Dariaz Higgins, Robinson’s father, has been providing police with information on the whereabouts of his daughter, but it has “proven to be untrue.”
Higgins was arrested Wednesday at the Midpoint Motel in Milwaukee, but the child was not with him when he was found. Police arrested a second suspect who is facing preliminary charges of harboring and aiding a felon.
Higgins is accused of fatally shooting Sierra Robinson, Noelani’s mother, and wounding one of her friends Monday. He now faces charges of first degree homicide.
According to the criminal complaint, the wounded woman told police Higgins, who is also known by the nickname “DL,” was her former pimp. She told police Sierra Robinson had been “messing around” and Robinson became pregnant, and that “DL and Sierra stayed together with their child, Noelani.”
The complaint indicated in February, “Sierra no longer wanted to be with DL and she moved to Las Vegas, leaving the child with DL.” But once in Las Vegas, Robinson tried to get Noelani back from Higgins. Eventually he agreed to give Noelani back to Robinson — and on Saturday, March 9, “Sierra flew back to Milwaukee.”
According to the criminal complaint, Higgins agreed to let Robinson have Noelani on Monday. They were set to meet near 22nd and Fond du Lac. The woman who was wounded in the shooting told police she went with Robinson for this meeting — but the child was not with Higgins. Instead, the complaint said the “three of them drove around, smoking weed, drinking and talking about old times.” The woman told police she noticed Higgins had “a small, mini Draco AK style rifle in the driver’s map pocket.”
According to the complaint, Higgins finally drove to an apartment building and “he told them that was where Noelani was.” The woman and Robinson were walking ahead of Higgins to the apartment when the woman said she heard gunshots. The woman said she “immediately felt pain to her stomach and she looked back and saw (Higgins) holding the Draco with two hands shooting at her and Sierra.” Then, the woman said, Higgins got back into the SUV and drove away.
Shortly after the shooting, the Amber Alert was issued statewide for Noelani; a $5,000 reward was offered for information leading to her safe return.
KTTC-TV is reporting that the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension is assisting the Steele County Sheriff’s Office with an investigation after a body was found in a ditch north of Blooming Prairie on Friday.
As of now, the station reports, there is no confirmation that this scene, located along Highway 218, is related to the missing girl.
Minnesota was mentioned earlier this week as a possible location for the child.
