An Alabama woman has been arrested after a toddler girl was discovered deceased inside a hearse Saturday, unbeknownst to the funeral home.

On Sunday, a little before 2 a.m., officers with the Gadsden Police Department arrested Terrica Pearl, 29, and booked her into the Etowah County Jail, where she was charged with murder.

The arrest happened after a toddler was found at the West Gadsden Funeral Home, on Forrest Avenue in Gadsden.

The funeral home director, Dantez Robinson, said that the toddler’s body, which employees originally thought was a doll, was discovered when the groundskeeper went to move the hearse, according to WBRC.

WVTM reported that Robinson stated that before they moved the hearse, it had been parked Friday night, unlocked, and without a child inside.

“This was a tough case for everybody involved,” Mayor Craig Ford said, according to WAAY 31.

“I’m proud of the way our police department went after the truth and got it done. An arrest doesn’t take away the hurt, but it does mean we’re one step closer to justice for this child.”

An autopsy is scheduled to identify the toddler’s cause of death.

Anyone with additional information about the case should contact the Gadsden Police Department at 256-549-4500.

The story is developing. Check back for updates.

[Feature Photo: Shutterstock]