FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. — Fayetteville police said the adoptive mother of Blake and London Deven was arrested and charged with murder in connection with the disappearance of the two siblings, according to Raleigh CBS affiliate WNCN.
Police believe the siblings died of neglect and starvation.
The adoptive mother, Avantae Deven is facing several charges including intentional child abuse, and inflicting serious bodily injury.
Neighbors told WNCN that law enforcement showed up at Deven's home around 9:30 a.m. Wednesday.
According to Fayetteville Police, 27-year-old London Deven and her brother, 17-year-old Blake Deven have been missing for several years.
Their disappearances however were not reported missing until earlier this year by Avantae.
In Wednesday's press conference, Senior Sergeant Mickey Locklear with Fayetteville police said the siblings lived in "inhuman conditions". He also said Avantae often kept her children in dark, small rooms with little or no food. He reported Avantae often forced the children in her home to "earn nourishment" by writing apologies for their behavior, according to WNCN.
Investigators searched Avantae's home to get answers on the missing siblings. Remains of the siblings were found in two different homes. Fayetteville police reported both siblings were found in two different homes. They believe Avantae forced someone else in the home to help in the dismemberment of Blake.
London was last spotted in 2019.
According to police, London was an adult, she had special needs and depended on Avantae to care for her.
Investigators believe she died the same way Blake did: starvation and neglect.
WNCN said additional information led several police departments to locate a metal burn barrel. The barrel contained two separate sets of human remains, according to police. A private lab confirmed that one set of the remains belongs to London Deven. Testing on the second set of human remains, believed to belong to Blake Deven, is ongoing.
Fayetteville police said Blake and London were among five unrelated children adopted by Avantae.
In Nov. 2023, police responded to a call at the Deven home for a mental health crisis. Social services were called and during an interview, the victim going through the mental health crisis told authorities that he had not seen his brother Blake in five years and that the last time he had seen him, he had a broken arm and is now dead.
In Early June, Blake Deven's biological mother drove five hours from Marshall to Fayetteville seeking answers about her son's disappearance. She told WNCN she wanted accountability and was not giving up hope.
WNCN said they made multiple attempts to talk with Avantae Deven throughout the investigation, but she would not respond.
This investigation is ongoing.
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