Sister-in-law: Woman wanted in infant remains case 'needs to turn herself in'

James Morgan, who lives in the rented home with his mother, Pamela McBride, was running a cable under the house, at 102 Hartley Drive, on Saturday afternoon when he found two trash bags in the crawl space. When he checked to see what was inside one, he found human remains wrapped in towels.

Investigators identified Bridgette Morgan "Micki" Smith as a person of interest in the case.

Smith is McBride's daughter, and McBride told police that she tried to hide several pregnancies in the past, according to an application for a warrant to search the house. McBride estimated that Smith has been pregnant about 10 times, but she only knows what happened to three of the children – two are in her custody and a third was given up for adoption years ago.

James Morgan's fiancee, Haley Fugate, said the family had no idea remains were under the house. She said they are devastated and are focusing on caring for Smith’s 7-year-old daughter and 8-month-old son.

“We love doing it. I mean, we wouldn’t trade it for the world,” Fugate said.

Police said they hope Smith, 40, could help identify the remains and provide other information to help the investigation. They said she might be with 35-year-old Christopher Warner, who family members said is the father of her 8-month-old son.

McBride told police that Smith has battled drug addiction in the past.

“Ever since I’ve been with this family, it’s been a spiral. She’d do good for a couple months, and then she’d go right back to the same old ways, leaving her kids at home,” Fugate said. “She wouldn’t call and check on them. Drugs is what happened to her.”

Fugate said the family is just hoping that Smith will return, for the sake of everyone involved.

“She just needs to turn herself in, for her kids, to make it easier on everybody,” said Fugate. “She just needs to turn herself in. That’s all she needs to do because she is caught.”

Anyone who has information about Smith's whereabouts or the case is asked to call Smithfield police at 919-989-1075 or the department's tip line at 919-989-8835.