Spring Lake — Harnett County authorities said they located the remains of a missing 11-month-old girl in the attic of her house Saturday afternoon.

Authorities issued a statewide Amber Alert on Friday after Harmony Jade Creech's grandmother reported her missing from the family's Spring Lake home at 1680 Ray Road.

Police said Harmony's mother, Johni Michelle Heuser, told investigators she found the girl dead in her crib several weeks ago. Police said Heuser concealed her daughter's death out of fear and did not tell anybody.

Harnett County Sheriff Larry Rollins said investigators were still interviewing Heuser Saturday night and charges had not yet been determined. It was still considered an active investigation.

"It's a tragic end to a sad situation for this family and for the community as well," Rollins said.

An autopsy will be performed on the child's body to determined how she died, police said.

Harmony's father, Ronald Earl Creech II, returned from a deployment in Iraq Friday hoping to see his daughter. Harmony was born while he was overseas, police said. Creech is a soldier with the 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg.

Harmony's grandmother picked up Creech from the airport Friday to take him to the house to see his daughter.

Heuser stayed behind at the house, police said. Heuser initially told police she last saw Harmony after putting her to bed Thursday night. She said Harmony was wearing pink pajamas with the words "Daddy's Girl" on them.

When police arrived at the house Friday, they discovered that a pink bed sheet, a few bibs and most of Harmony's clothing were missing. Also, the window in the baby's room was open, and the screen had been removed. It was sitting outside the house.

Police said Heuser's three other children, all under age 5, were in the home overnight Thursday, but they were not harmed. Creech is not the father of those children, authorities said.