This article has been updated to reflect recent developments in this story following a press release issued by the Polkton Police Dpt.
POLKTON — According to the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) and the Polkton Police Department, a police chase occurred Monday, resulting in the murder of a young girl and the attempted suicide of her father, who reportedly abducted the child from her mother’s home earlier that morning in Polkton.
The child’s mother called 911 at approximately 3 a.m. to report her young daughter and vehicle, a black Jeep Liberty, were stolen from her residence at 35 West Street. A BOLO was issued to area law enforcement agencies for the stolen vehicle.
According to the mother, the father of their child, Michael Rufus Roach, who lives in the home, threatened her with a gun and then took their six-year old daughter, Mianna Roach. The father left the family home with their daughter, using the victim’s vehicle to abscond with the child. An Amber Alert was not issued in this case as there was no legal documentation to establish custody of the child.
Soon after 8 a.m. Monday, a deputy attempted to initiate a traffic stop on the black Jeep. When the driver failed to stop, deputies took pursuit through the Northern part of Anson County. While Roach traveled North on Little Creek Road, he lost control of the vehicle around a curb and crashed into a ditch.
Upon approaching the vehicle, law enforcement discovered Roach with a self- inflicted gunshot wound inside of the vehicle and his daughter, Mianna Roach in the passenger seat, deceased from a gunshot wound.
Officers on the scene rendered aid until paramedics arrived and took over on scene. Roach was transferred to Atrium Anson, where he was then flown to CMC Main in Charlotte. He remains in critical condition.
According to an updated statement released by the Polkton Police Department, “During the investigation we learned that Roach took the life of his six-year old daughter, Mianna Roach.”
This is an ongoing investigation and updates will be made as information is released.