On Sunday morning, October 8, Courtney Bell called Newton County 911 to report her 2-week-old daughter Caliyah McNabb missing. One day later, searchers found the body of the infant a short distance later, beneath a log, where her body was hidden.
Baby Caliyah's father, Chris McNabb has been charged with her murder and concealing her body in the wooded area where she was found.
The transcript of the 911 call from mother Courtney Bell is as follows:
911: Newton County 911, what's the emergency?
Bell: I have a 2-year-old and a 2-week-old, and my 2-week-old is not in her sleeper. Her passy is on the floor.
911: She's not in her sleeper?
Bell: She's not in her sleeper - she's not here. I looked -- I looked in her clothes and everything.
911: What's your address, ma'am?
Bell: [redacted] -- yes. Lot 31...
911: Do you think somebody took her, ma'am?
Bell: My child said -- my 2-year-old said she's gone. And I looked everywhere in the house -- I don't know another possibility.
911: What lot number are you at?
Bell: 31...
911: Okay, you said you were sleep and you woke up and she was gone?
Bell: Yes. My...my 2-year-old came and woke me up...I was sleep on the couch. (yelling for someone off phone)
911: Okay... (typing)... How old is she, ma'am?
Bell: Two weeks old.
911: Okay... (typing)... Who else would have come in your house?
Bell: I... I mean... As far as I know, nobody would have came in my house... My 2-year-old said papa, but I called my dad and I called my grandparents, but they don't have her... My dad's on the way here now.
911: Okay... (typing)...
Bell: (Unintelligible yell at someone off phone)...
911: All right, how long have you been sleep?
Bell: Ummm.... The last time I woke with her was... I guess around 5, maybe...
911: Okay... (typing)... So you were sleep since 5:00? (typing)
Bell: Yes... I didn't mean to sleep on the couch, I sat down for a minute after dealing with her all night.
911: So could you tell that someone had been there? Was here blanket there? Gone?
Bell: Um. her blanket is gone, her passy is here on the floor. Her blanket is not with us. I don't know where -- I mean, I guess... I don't know... I guess it's with her.
911: (typing)... Okay...
Bell: And I have clothes in totes, but I've looked all in them, and she's not here.... (sobbing)
911: (typing) Is there anything else missing, like a baby bag that she would have or anything else?
Bell: No... Her bottle's here... On top of my shelf...
911: Okay -- what about --
Bell: In my bathroom on my vanity, I'm sorry...
911: Ma'am?
Bell: Huh?
911: What about anything else that could be gone that could be hers that could have gone with her?
Bell: Um... No. Nothing else. Just her and her blanket.
911: The only thing that's missing is her and her blanket?
Bell: Yes.
911: You didn't talk to the dad? Or her grandma or anybody else?
Bell: Her dad was here -- her dad's with us, and -- and he's walking around the car looking for her... Because my 2-year-old's -- I asked someone to come and take her and he said yes, but I... she's 2, so I can free that or not...
911: Did you look through everything? Under the bed?
Bell: Yes' ma'am...
911: In bathrooms?
Bell: Yes, ma'am...
911: Okay... (typing)... All right... (typing)... What's your name, ma'am?
Bell: Courtney Bell. C-O-U-R-T-N-E-Y, B-E-L-L...
911: Just to let you know, Cortney, they've been on the way out there, I'm just getting this to update them.... What's your phone number?
Bell: Um... I'm not sure of this number where I'm at... The phone was busted the other day... This is my mother's phone she's been letting me use...
911: So it's you and the dad -- I'm just trying to get the understanding to let them know on the questions they're asking me -- You and the dad were sleeping, or he just came back home?
Bell: No, me and him woke up together. She woke us both up together.
911: Okay, she woke the two of you up together and told you the baby was gone?
Bell: Yes.
911: Okay.
Bell: She was kind of freaked out... I mean, I don't -- I don't know -- 'cause she was just standing there besides the couch in the corner, and I told her 'come here,' and I told my baby's dad to go check on Caliyah, and he was talking about 'she's not here, she's not in here...'
911: Okay, well the police should be in the area, now.
Bell: Thank you...
911: I'll go ahead and let you go, okay?
Bell: Thanks.
