Sheriff to Suspect: 'We are Coming to Get Him.'

FOLKSTON, GA -- The Clay County sheriff had a message for the person responsible for the death of the young girl pulled from a landfill Wednesday afternoon: "I don't want to tell that suspect what we are doing. I will tell him this: We are coming to get him."

Sheriff Rick Beseler announced this afternoon that a young, white child was discovered in the Chesser Island Landfill in Folkston during a routine part of the search for Somer Thompson.

"The body of a small child has been found," Beseler said at a news conference. "This is a rapidly unfolding matter."

Somer, 7, has been missing for two days after disappearing on her way home from school. Since then, the Orange Park community where she lives has mobilized, handing out flowers, holding vigils and caring for her family.

An identification may not come until Thursday morning. The medical examiner in Georgia will do an autopsy in Savannah tomorrow.

Beseler said law enforcement has switched to a "criminal investigation" rather than a search and recovery. There is only, "one chance to do an investigation correctly," emphasizing that the process was painstaking.

He praised the work of volunteers who helped look for Somer but told them to stand down. He also encouraged the community to continue with their lives normally despite the discovery.

"These things happen because there are bad people out there. You cannot stop living your life and you cannot live in fear....you should be careful but don't be paranoid. And don't alter your life because...these folks (are) winning the war when you do that," Beseler said.

At an evening news conference, state attorney Angela Corey said that the office knew how important it was for Somer's family to know the identity of the body.

"We're doing everything possible to identify the body to assist the family," she said, adding that she did not foresee any problems stemming from the fact that this is a inter-state case. "(Somer's mother) will get her answers, I assure you, when we can give them to her."

She declined to talk a lot about the investigation and where it goes from here.

"It's very emotional right now, certainly a lot of long hard hours...we've been praying the whole time," said Clay County Sheriff's Office Sgt. Dan Mahla.

Mahla said the investigation will go well into Thursday and will cover a 100-yard radius. Officials will try to "get as much done as possible in the sunlight...we're looking for anything and everything we can."

There are no other reports of missing children in the area, Mahla said.

Gov. Charlie Crist, who was at the afternoon news conference, said his prayers were with the family of Somer.

"It's not conclusive, but all indications sort of point in the direction," he said, referring to the unknown identity of the child that was found. "This is a very difficult day, a very tragic situation."

Trash from Clay County where Somer disappeared is dumped in the Georgia landfill. Mahla said it is unclear if the trash where the body was found was dumped this morning or Tuesday. The landfill search started Tuesday.

"It's very disturbing to find a human life in a landfill," Mahla said.

Police also searched the Rosemary Hill Landfill in Green Cove Springs in Florida earlier today.

Charlton County officials requested that the Georgia Bureau of Investigation come to the scene after the body was found. Clay County authorities are also there along with GBI special agents and a crime scene specialist.

"They are a dangerous character. They are obviously picking up children and killing them," said Wylie Hodges, of Crimestoppers, referring to the person responsible for the death of the child found.

There are two candlelight vigils tonight, one at Somer's home on Horton Street in Orange Park. The other is from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the First Baptist Church - Orange Park, 1140 Kingsley Ave.

Click on the video to hear what Sheriff Rick Beseler says about this case.

CLICK HERE for complete coverage of the search for Somer Thompson.

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