‘Just help me’: A mother’s plea for answers as FBI digs at South City home near where daughter vanished

ST. LOUIS, Mo. (First Alert 4) - A mother’s pain resurfaced this week as federal and local authorities dug through a south St. Louis backyard, just blocks from where her daughter disappeared nearly five years ago.

Michele Miller has been searching for answers since 2020 when her daughter, Bre’Ayn Miller, vanished.

The St. Louis Police Metropolitan Department (SLMPD) confirms Thursday’s excavation near Dewey Avenue and Delor Street did not lead to the discovery of human remains.

More than 24 hours after the very public investigation, SLMPD confirmed Friday the excavation was related to Bre’Ayn Miller’s case.

For Bre’Ayn’s mom, it reopened old wounds and reignited hope.

“I know parents have children that away,” Miller said, “but they usually know where their kid is. It’s just hard to not know where [Bre’Ayn] is at.”

Miller its she had mixed emotions as the dig unfolded.

“I was having hope that they wouldn’t find her there,” she said. “I want her to still be alive.”

Adding to her frustration, Miller says she wasn’t notified by police about the search until after it concluded, instead learning about it through friends and social media.

“I don’t know why [police] can’t just pick up the phone and call me,” she said.

For context, SLMPD clarified to First Alert 4 that maintaining the integrity of the investigation takes precedence in missing persons cases. As such, families are typically not notified prior to the execution of search warrants in order to preserve potential evidence and prevent the unintended harm of raising false hope.

Miller says the renewed attention to her daughter’s case gave her a sense of validation, a reminder that Bre’ayn’s name hadn’t been forgotten.

“She’s somebody’s friend, somebody’s sister, and she deserves to be put to rest where she needs to be put to rest,” Miller said. “If something happened to her, somebody needs to help me find her. Just help me.”

“Somebody knows something,” Miller said.

Investigators say that while no remains were found, suspected narcotics were recovered during the property search. Two people were initially detained, though police have not confirmed the potential connection between the pair and Bre’Ayn’s case.

In the midst of the investigation, online rumors swirled, including unfounded claims of mass graves and buried infants, that only deepened Miller’s pain.

“Why do people do that?” she said. “I mean, if you don’t know the facts, don’t say anything.”

SLMPD spokesperson Mitch McCoy called the rumors “deplorable,” warning that the spread of misinformation only fuels fear and pain.

As Miller continues to seek closure, she holds on to what hope she can.

“I’d much rather be able to find her and hold her again... tell her how much I love her and be her mommy,” Miller said. “But if not, I want to know what happened to her.”

A spokesperson for SLMPD says their detectives do not plan to return to the Dewey Avenue home and that no one is in custody relative to the investigation.

“The SLMPD is dedicated to finding all of our missing persons and will follow up on all credible leads, no matter how much time has ed. If anyone has information related to Bre’yan Miller or any of our missing persons, they can call our Missing Persons Unit at 314-444-5738. They can also submit their tips anonymously to CrimeStoppers by calling 1-866-371-TIPS.”

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