Indiana Baby Sitter Accused of Killing 9-Year-Old Girl to Appear in Court Friday

Dec. 28, 2011 — -- The baby sitter charged with killing a 9-year-old girl who had disappeared from an Indiana trailer park will appear in court Friday, the first chance prosecutors will have to explain why he allegedly killed and then dismembered the girl's body.

Michael Plumadore, 39, "freely admitted" that in the "early morning hours" last Thursday, he struck Aliahna Lemmon in the head multiple times with a brick "while she was standing on the front steps of his residence," according to a police affidavit.

He later dismembered her body and kept her head, feet and hands in his freezer, according to the affidavit.

He allegedly put the girl's body in several trash bags and stuffed her in a freezer until nighttime came. He worked past midnight dismembering Aliahna's body with a hack saw, the affidavit states. He allegedly put the pieces in garbage gas and tossed them in a Dumpster of a nearby business, but kept her head, hands and feet in his freezer.

The FBI has asked the girl's family members not to speak to the media. Neighbors also declined to comment.

The Allen County prosecutor's office declined to comment, except to confirm the police affidavit submitted to the court Tuesday.

Police Affidavit Contains Michael Plumadore' Confession

Plumadore shuffled into court for his initial hearing Tuesday, manacled at this feet and hands. He was ordered held without bail, police said. He was escorted by two Allen County police officers. There were additional officers in the courtroom for extra security.

Plumadore did not tell police why he killed the young girl.

Plumadore, who had been babysitting Aliahna and her two sisters for a week because their mother was ill, initially told police that he has last seen Aliahna sleeping in his trailer on Friday but didn't alert police to her disappearance until Friday night because he believed she had gone home to her mother.

Allen County Sheriff Ken Fries said the girl's body was found after 9 p.m. Monday night.

According to the girl's relatives, Plumadore had been taking care of and living with Aliahna's grandfather, James E. Lemmon, until he died on Dec. 3, 2011, the AP reported. Plumadore was living in the grandfather's trailer at the time of Aliahna's death.

"[Plumadore] was a trusted family friend," Aliahna's step-grandfather, David Story, told the AP.

James Lemmon was 66 when he died, and had an extensive criminal record, including convictions for child molestation in 2006 and was a registered sex offender.

Plumadore was arrested after his third interview with police, Cpl. Jeremy Tinkel told ABCNews.com.

Fries said Plumadore has a criminal record in North Carolina and Florida.

The tragic discovery came the same day that police announced that the FBI had joined the investigation and candlelight vigil was being held for Aliahna in Fort Wayne.

A page had been set up on Facebook for the missing girl called "Find Aliahna Marie Maroney Lemmon Missing from Fort Wayne, Indiana." On Sunday, the group posted, "Merry Christmas Aliahna where ever you are! We won't give up on you!"

"No kid should be missing Christmas!" the post read.