Police say 10-year-old Katheryn Bigbee was found after a missing-child call late April 17.

PIEDMONT, Ala. — A juvenile has been charged with murder after 10-year-old Katheryn Aliceanna Bigbee was found fatally injured inside a Piedmont home following a missing-child call late April 17, police and coroner officials said.

The case has shaken Piedmont, a small Calhoun County city where Police Chief Nathan Johnson said the victim and the suspect were both from the community. Authorities have released few details because both people involved are minors. The Calhoun County coroner said Katheryn died from multiple stab wounds, and police said the investigation remains active as the case moves through the juvenile justice process.

Police said officers were called at 10:51 p.m. April 17 about a missing juvenile at an undisclosed address. Johnson said the first report did not come in as a homicide. He said the parents heard something, could not find one of the children in the home and went outside to search. Officers responded and found a female with extensive injuries who appeared to be dead, Johnson said. The Calhoun County Coroner’s Office later identified the child as Katheryn, a student at Piedmont Elementary School. Police soon took another juvenile into custody and announced a murder charge. “This is a heartbreaking situation for everyone involved and for our entire community,” Johnson said.

The exact address has not been released, and officials have not said whether the home was Katheryn’s residence. Police also have not released the accused juvenile’s age, name or relationship to Katheryn. Johnson said the limits are tied to the ages of the children and the ongoing investigation. Coroner Pat Brown confirmed Katheryn’s cause of death as multiple stab wounds and ruled the manner of death a homicide. Local reports said Katheryn was located less than an hour after the missing-child call, but officials have not released a full timeline of what happened before police arrived. No motive has been announced. Police also have not said whether investigators recovered a weapon, whether other children or adults were in the home, or whether any prior calls had been made to the address.

Piedmont Elementary School became one of the first public places where Katheryn’s death was marked. School officials said they were heartbroken by the loss of “one of our precious students” and described her as a child who brought smiles, kindness and light to the halls each day. The school said Katheryn had a joyful, spunky personality and loved reading. Officials said grief counselors were made available for students and staff. The school’s statement placed the focus on Katheryn’s life, not the details of the case, saying her memory would remain with classmates, teachers and others who knew and loved her. In a community where children often share schools, churches and ballfields, the case quickly moved beyond the home where officers responded.

The investigation has now moved from the first police response into the next legal phase. Johnson said the case was turned over to Calhoun County District Attorney Lynn Hammond for further prosecution. Because the accused person is a juvenile, the public record is expected to be limited compared with an adult criminal case. Officials have not announced a court date, detention status or whether prosecutors will seek any transfer to adult court. They also have not said whether additional charges could be filed. In Alabama, juvenile cases often move through closed hearings, and records can be shielded to protect minors. That means key questions about the accused child’s background, the evidence collected and the possible motive may remain outside public view unless a court makes further information available.

For Piedmont residents, the death landed after other recent losses in the area. Jerry Stewart, president of the Piedmont Ministerial Association, said the city had already been grieving young people lost in separate crashes. “Now, this tragedy, we just, we need a lot of prayer support, spiritual support,” Stewart said. Resident Avery Gowens said people were trying to help the family and one another. “We’re helping each other through this because this is very traumatic for the family,” Gowens said. Those public reactions showed how the case has spread through the city, even among people who did not personally know Katheryn or her relatives. Residents described Piedmont as quiet and close-knit, the kind of place where news involving two children travels quickly and leaves few people untouched.

Katheryn’s family has also spoken of unanswered questions. Blake Trammell, identified in reports as a relative, said the family had been “torn to pieces” by her death. He described Katheryn as “the most amazing, sweetest little girl” and said she was a light in any room she entered. The statement echoed the school’s description of a child remembered for joy and warmth. At the same time, family comments showed the gap between public grief and the still-hidden facts of the investigation. Police have confirmed the charge and the basic sequence of the missing-child call, but they have not described the events that led to Katheryn’s fatal injuries.

The murder charge remains pending against the juvenile suspect, and Piedmont police said investigators continue to work the case with the district attorney’s office. As of May 10, officials had not released the suspect’s name, the next court date or further details about the evidence.

Author note: Last updated May 10, 2026.