Body of 4-year-old boy found burned

MT. PLEASANT, Mich. (WOOD) - The body of a 4-year-old Isabella County boy was found under a porch of the home he shared with his mother and her boyfriend, according to a family spokesman.

Carnel Chamberlain went missing last week. Earlier this week, his mother said she still held out hope that he would be found safe.

His body was found Thursday when a search warrant of the Tomah Road home -- which is on Saginaw Chippewa tribal land -- was executed by Saginaw Chippewa tribal police, Michigan State Police and FBI agents.

Family spokesperson Kevin Chamberlain told 24 Hour News 8 the 4-year-old's body was found under a porch.

Carnel's body had been badly burned, family members told 24 Hour News 8.

"We have some kind of closure now," Carnel's aunt Cathy Chamberlain said. "We really love the little guy, and he's a little angel now."

Carnel lived at the home where his body was found with his mother Jaimee Chamberlain and her boyfriend Anthony Bennet.

Bennet, who was watching Carnel when he went missing, is considered a person of interest in the case. He is currently in police custody, according to a family member and a source close to the investigation.

"He gave me the willies," said Cathy Chamberlain.

She said the night Carnel went missing, Bennet stood on the porch, above the spot where police found the boy's burned body.

"He was right there like nothing happened. That was hard," said Cathy.

A candlelight vigil -- which was originally scheduled before Carnel's body was found -- was held for Carnel Thursday night.

Flags were lowered for Carnel at the memorial, at which traditional Native American music was played.

Because the incident happened on tribal land, the FBI is handling much of the investigation. Thursday night, they provided few details.

This frustrated some family members who said they felt like they were due some answers.

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Kevin Chamberlain, the tribe's former chief, told the Associated Press he had no details about what led investigators back to the house after many days of searching woods, ponds and the tribe's wastewater treatment areas.

The body "had to be in a grave. We had looked underneath before and didn't see anything," he said.

"There's a lot of anger, just utter despair and disbelief. I don't know how else to define it," said Chamberlain, who is a cousin of Carnel's mother, Jaimee Chamberlain. "After a long week of searching and hoping, we're at a horrific, bitter end."

Tribal police referred calls to the FBI, which declined to comment on the investigation. Any charges in the case would be handled by federal authorities, who have jurisdiction over major crimes on Indian reservations.

Police have said Jaimee Chamberlain's boyfriend was not very cooperative during the weeklong search and has consulted a lawyer.

The tribe invited the public to a Thursday night vigil to celebrate Carnel's life with singing and the playing of drums. A news conference was planned for Friday.

Earlier this week, Jaimee Chamberlain, 21, told The Associated Press that her son was missing when she returned home from work on June 21. Her boyfriend told her Carnel wasn't around.

"I ran inside and looked around. I didn't know what to do," said Jaimee Chamberlain, who went to a neighbor's home to look for Carnel and then called police.