Missing Tennessee Family: Adam Mayes Dead, Girls Are Safe
The story that captivated a nation is over and has a bittersweet ending. Kidnapper and murderer Adam Mayes has been captured by police, and the two youngest Bain girls have been found unharmed.
At approximately 3:30 a.m., authorities were able to locate Mayes and the Bain girls in Mississippi. When they surrounded him, Mayes shot himself in the head, bringing a violent end to the incident. The two girls, 12-year-old Alexandria and eight-year-old Kyliyah were rescued and taken to a nearby hospital.
The girls were suffering from exposure and dehydration after being in the woods for several days and being on the run with Mayes, who took the girls, their older sister Adrienne and their mother Jo Ann on April 27. Mayes killed Adrienne and Jo Ann and, with the help of his wife Teresa, buried the bodies in the backyard of his home.
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Authorities found their bodies earlier this week and were not hopeful for the younger girls' safety. Local police and FBI agents worked around-the-clock to locate Mayes and the girls after they fled Tennessee. It was believed that the girls' appearances had been changed in order to prevent police from recognizing them as they traveled, but they were able to recognize Alexandria in the woods.
Adam and Teresa Mayes were both charged with first-degree murder and kidnapping; she is currently being held without bail. Mayes' mother, Mary France, has also been charged with conspiracy to commit aggravated kidnapping.
Family and friends are overjoyed that the girls will be returned to their home after the ordeal. "No words can express our elation. We know prayers brought them home. I can't wait to see them," family friend Dee Hart told NBC News.
Even authorities were overwhelmed at finding the girls alive and well. "I told them it's going to be OK," Union County Sheriff Jimmy Edwards told Reuters. "I gave them a big hug… When I seen these kids, it was a huge relief."
