Photo courtesy of Samantha Campbell / Facebook.
Danielle Hoyle was shot to death on Feb. 1, just two days after giving birth, allegedly by 25-year-old Brandon Isabelle. Isabelle is the child’s father and reportedly shot Hoyle in Whitehaven, Tenn., near Memphis.
According to the Memphis Police Department, Isabelle admitted to killing Hoyle and throwing their two-day-old newborn, Kennedy, into the frigid waters of the Mississippi River.
Hoyle’s body was found while the police patrolled a secluded area near Graceland around 11:15 p.m. An officer found her empty vehicle with the driver’s side window broken. He discovered her body 15 minutes later with several gunshot wounds. The newborn’s baby seat was found in a Walmart parking lot after an Amber Alert went out.
Hoyle’s other daughter, 10-year-old Riyah, was born when she was 17-years-old, and the victim’s mother, April Campbell, said that the two were extremely close. The heartbroken mother revealed to PEOPLE Magazine that her granddaughter constantly cries and asks for her mother.
“It’s a lot,” she said. “Danielle was the kindest lady you could ever meet. She didn’t bother anyone. All my grandbaby knows is my daughter,. All she does is cry and say she wants her mama. This has taken a toll on the whole family.”
The Tennesse Bureau of Investigation put out an Amber Alert for Kennedy before Isabelle’s confession. However, they now believe baby Kennedy to be dead.
“A #TNAMBERAlert has been issued for 2-day-old Kennedy Hoyle on behalf of @MEM_PoliceDept. Kennedy was last seen yesterday in the area of Sedgewick Drive and Levi Rd in Memphis. If you have seen Kennedy, call MPD at 901-545-2677 or TBI at 1-800-TBI-FIND.”
Divers are reportedly still looking for little Kennedy’s body in the river. Isabelle turned himself into the Memphis Police Department following the murders. He was charged with two counts of first-degree murder, kidnapping and murder in perpetuating aggravated kidnapping. He was also accused of tampering and fabricating evidence.
According to the MPD, Isabelle confessed to shooting Hoyle and tossing his baby girl in the freezing Mississippi River. He also threw the gun in the river.
Despite allegedly confessing to the police, Brandon Isabelle pled not guilty in court on Feb. 7. A hearing is scheduled for Feb. 15.