April Jones murder suspect charged

GlobalPost

April Jones, the 5-year-old who went missing from Wales last week, was allegedly abducted and murdered by Mark Bridger.

Bridger, 46, has been charged with the girl's murder, as well as child abuction and perverting the course of justice, BBC News reported. He has been under arrest since the day after Jones disappeared. She went missing on October 2, five days ago.

The former welder and abattoir worker, who knew April's family and had children at the same school as her, is expected to appear in court on Monday, The Times reported.  

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A search operation is still ongoing in and around April's home town of Machynlleth, in mid-Wales, but the hope of finding the girl alive have faded, according to the Telegraph.  

"Now that Mark Bridger has been charged with this horrific crime it is time to let the judicial process take its course and time to let the family come to terms with what has happened in the last week," Jackie Roberts, the chief constable of Dyfed-Powys police, said. 

"In the meantime our efforts to find April will be as meticulous as they have been from the outset of this enquiry, until we have exhausted all available options."


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