Body of Missing Girl, 4, Found in Family Pool

The body of a 4-year-old Oakland girl missing since a Fourth of July party has been found in a relative’s pool.

Jonique Williams’ body was found in the deep end of the pool at 6 p.m. Monday despite earlier searches of the area, police say. While there were no obvious signs of trauma, officers were investigating the girl’s death as a homicide, Modesto police spokesman Terry Miller said late Monday.

“There is a possibility that the body was put into the pool sometime after the girl was reported missing,” Miller said.

Jonique was with about 35 family members and friends Sunday when she disappeared about 6:45 p.m., Modesto police said. Her mother and stepfather had left her with relatives while going to a local grocery store.

Police have received conflicting reports from family members, Miller said.

“Some members say they don’t believe she drowned,” he said. “That leads us to believe something else is going on.”

Miller cautioned that it is possible that the police somehow missed the body in three or four earlier searches.

“Toward the deep end of that pool it is murky, but whether it’s too murky to miss a body is something we’re trying to figure out right now,” he said.

Family members were swimming in the pool Sunday night, Miller said.

Jonique’s great-aunt said earlier that she believed that the girl had been abducted.

“Somebody got that baby--from right in front of this house,” Norma Jones said.

An autopsy was planned and results were expected in the next few days, Miller said.