Father of slain Sumter five-year-old hopes to keep daughter’s memory alive

Dupray Adams says he plans on having an event each year to honor her memory

SUMTER, S.C. (WOLO) — The family of Nevaeh Adams, the Sumter five-year-old whose remains were discovered in a Richland County landfill last Friday, returned to her apartment Wednesday afternoon to pick up her belongings.

Dupray Adams, Nevaeh’s father, says he had been looking forward to the day when he could visit his daughter’s apartment again, but he says walking inside for the first time was tough.

“I broke down when I went upstairs to her bedroom and after getting her clothes and was holding them close to me and was smelling them and stuff, so that kind of touched me a little bit, but overall I went on ahead and cleaned up everything and got her stuff together,” Adams said.

Authorities found Nevaeh’s remains last Friday after searching through four million pounds of garbage in the landfill off Screaming Eagle Road.

Nevaeh was first reported missing August 5 after police found the body of her mother, Sharee Bradley, in her home at the Lantana Apartment complex in Sumter. Four hours after the 9-1-1 call was made, authorities say Daunte Johnson, who was arrested shortly after the body was found, confessed to killing both Bradley and her daughter. He also said he disposed of Nevaeh’s body in a dumpster outside her apartment.

Johnson is currently in custody at the Sumter-Lee Regional Detention Center, facing two charges of murder and use of a weapon of a violent crime, as well as possession of a stolen vehicle.

Nearly 400 people from 48 state and public agencies took part in the 25-day search.

After receiving a card signed by all personnel involved in the search, Adams said he is grateful to law enforcement for going above and beyond to give his family closure.

“Just to see how many people were lined up that were involved in the search, that really touched my heart to see everybody coming together and the love that they were sharing for my daughter, trying to find her,” Adams said.

Chief Russell Roark says this tragedy has shaken the community and has left its mark on all the officers involved in the search.

“I hope that as we go throughout the coming days that we begin to heal as a family, we begin to heal as a community,” Chief Roark said.

Adams says he plans on keeping his Nevaeh’s memory alive each year by having an event each year to remind people of the impact she had on others.

“It’s very important to keep [her memory] alive, to keep it going, and to keep people open and aware. This could happen to anybody,” Adams said.

Adams says he plans on having a memorial service for his daughter at some point during the first two weeks of November.