Jalayshia Allford, 10-year-old missing from West Philadelphia, found dead in New Jersey

Allford had been missing for more than a week before her body was discovered inside a vehicle in Lindenwold, New Jersey. Prosecutors are expected to announce charges.

A search for a missing 10-year-old Philadelphia girl has ended in tragedy after authorities found her body in New Jersey, with prosecutors describing her death as a “brutal murder.”

Jalayshia Allford, who had been missing for more than a week, was found inside a vehicle at the Stonington Court Apartments in Lindenwold, New Jersey, in Camden County, according to 6abc. The outlet reported that the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office planned to announce charges against a suspect during a Thursday evening news conference. The suspect’s identity had not been released at the time of the report.

Allford was last seen on Oct. 26 at a home on the 500 block of North Simpson Street in West Philadelphia, where she lived with her foster family.

Her disappearance prompted an extensive search involving Philadelphia police, FBI agents and community members. Investigators had been reviewing conflicting accounts from adults connected to the case as they worked to establish a timeline of the girl’s final known movements.

Authorities previously warned that Allford “may be at special risk of harm or injury.”

The case has been especially painful for her biological family, who spent days pleading for information about her whereabouts.

Her father, Nazir Allford, told 6abc that his primary concern was finding his daughter.

“All I’m concerned with is my child. I’m not concerned about nothing else,” he said.

Her aunt, Nyfisha Allford, also expressed the family’s anguish over the uncertainty surrounding the disappearance.

“It’s really so much pain in not knowing,” she said.

The investigation is now shifting toward determining the circumstances surrounding Allford’s death and holding those responsible accountable.

Authorities have not yet released additional details about the killing. The district attorney’s announcement is expected to provide further information about the suspect and potential charges.