10-year-old Katheryn Aliceanna Bigbee’s death was ruled a homicide after police found her during a late-night response.
PIEDMONT, Ala. — The Calhoun County coroner said 10-year-old Katheryn Aliceanna Bigbee died from multiple stab wounds after Piedmont police found her during a missing-child investigation that led to a juvenile murder charge.
The coroner’s finding gave investigators and the public one of the clearest facts in a case where many details remain undisclosed. Police have said the victim and the accused person are both juveniles, limiting what officials can release. The case began as a missing-child call late April 17 and became a homicide investigation after officers found Katheryn inside a home.
Police Chief Nathan Johnson said the first call came in at 10:51 p.m. from an undisclosed address. He said parents heard something, could not find one of the children inside the home and went outside to look. Officers responded to what was first treated as a missing-person report. Johnson said they then found a female with extensive injuries who appeared to be dead. Police later said another juvenile had been taken into custody and charged with murder. The coroner identified the victim as Katheryn and confirmed that she had been stabbed multiple times. “Officers responded immediately to the residence,” Johnson said. “They tragically discovered a deceased juvenile inside the home.”
The medical finding is important because police have released almost no narrative of the attack itself. Officials have not said where in the home Katheryn was found, whether others were present when officers arrived or what object caused the wounds. They have not said whether a weapon was recovered, whether there was a struggle or whether investigators believe the attack was planned or sudden. The suspect’s name, age and relationship to Katheryn have not been made public. Johnson said the suspect and Katheryn were both from Piedmont, but he did not provide more detail. Police have not announced a motive. The coroner’s homicide ruling confirmed that Katheryn’s death was caused by another person, but it did not answer the central questions surrounding the encounter.
For Piedmont, the facts released by the coroner and police landed alongside memories of a child known at school. Piedmont Elementary School said Katheryn was one of its students and described her as a sweet girl who brought smiles, kindness and light to the building. The school said she had a joyful, spunky personality and was an enthusiastic reader. Officials said grief counselors would be available for classmates and staff. Those statements came as police guarded the investigative record. The result was a public account divided between forensic language and personal loss, with one side describing wounds and charges, and the other describing a child’s place in her school community.
The case also drew attention because of its unusual and sensitive legal posture. A homicide charge against a juvenile in the death of another child creates limits on public information from the start. Police said they could not release more details because of the ages involved and because the investigation remained active. Johnson later said the case had been turned over to Calhoun County District Attorney Lynn Hammond for further prosecution. No public date for the next court proceeding has been announced. Authorities have not said whether the juvenile suspect is being held, whether an attorney has been appointed or whether prosecutors will seek any change in the case’s juvenile status. Those questions may be decided away from public view.
Local reaction showed how quickly a case built on few facts can affect a small city. Residents described Piedmont as quiet and close-knit. Avery Gowens said people were focused on helping Katheryn’s family and helping the community steady itself. “We’re helping each other through this because this is very traumatic for the family,” Gowens said. Jerry Stewart, president of the Piedmont Ministerial Association, said the area had already faced recent losses of young people. “Now, this tragedy, we just, we need a lot of prayer support, spiritual support,” Stewart said. Their comments framed the homicide not only as a police investigation, but as another painful event in a community already carrying grief.
Family members have spoken in similar terms. Blake Trammell, identified in reports as a relative, said Katheryn’s family had been torn to pieces by her death. He called her “the most amazing, sweetest little girl” and said she was a light in any room. He also said the family had “only more questions.” That phrase reflects the state of the public record. The coroner has named the cause of death. Police have named the charge. The school has described the child. But no official account has explained how the fatal injuries happened, why a juvenile is accused or what relationship connected the two children.
The known timeline remains short. A missing-child call came late Friday, April 17. Officers arrived at the home and found Katheryn with fatal injuries. The coroner identified her and ruled the death a homicide caused by multiple stab wounds. Police arrested another juvenile on a murder charge. In the days that followed, the school released its remembrance, residents described the city’s grief and Johnson said the case was being handled for prosecution. Each public update has added a piece, but none has given a full account of the final moments before police arrived.
As of May 10, the murder charge against the unnamed juvenile remained the only charge publicly announced. Piedmont police said the investigation is ongoing, and the district attorney’s office is expected to guide the next legal steps while Katheryn’s family and school community continue to mourn.
Author note: Last updated May 10, 2026.