DETROIT (Scripps News Detroit) — Michigan State Police say three people have been arrested in the murder of a Monroe County woman who was found inside an abandoned juvenile center in March.
Kayla Sedoskey (WXYZ)
Kayla Sedoskey, 23, was found on March 3 inside the abandoned Boysville Juvenile Detention Center. Police were called on a report of a possible deceased person inside.
Over the weekend, MSP said the three people were arrested. Sierra Bemis was charged on April 7 with open murder and conspiracy to commit homicide. Brin Smith was arraigned on April 8 on the same charges.
A third suspect was also arrested in Ohio on April 7 on the same charges, but her name is being withheld pending arraignment.
“I just hope they find whoever did this. I really do,” Barbie Watson, who told WXYZ that she is the biological mother of Kayla, said in March.
Michigan State Police outside the abandoned detention facility where Kayla Sedoskey’s body was found. (WXYZ)
“We are beyond distraught,” said Paullette Pashenee, who adopted Kayla as a young child. “Kayla was a good girl and we love her.”
And while Kayla was adopted, she and her biological mother remained in each other’s lives.
Barbie said, at times, Kayla stayed with her but she also liked being with friends.
“She was always in and out of the house. I couldn’t keep a leash on her. She’s grown so I basically let her do what she wanted to do.”
Barbie said she has no doubt that her daughter was murdered. She said Kayla was being harassed by an ex-boyfriend.
“He was still all over Facebook, making posts and comments about how she was dead (to him) and how she was a waste of life. She didn’t need to be on this earth. I have a screenshot of that message,” she said, adding that she shared details of the harassment with investigators.
This story was originally published April 10, 2023 by WXYZ in Detroit, an E.W. Scripps Company.
