Katheryn Bigbee, 10, was remembered as a joyful reader after police opened a homicide case.
PIEDMONT, Ala. — Piedmont Elementary School is mourning 10-year-old Katheryn Aliceanna Bigbee after police said she was found fatally injured inside a home and another juvenile was charged with murder in her death.
The public story of the case has centered on a sharp contrast. Police have released only the narrow facts of a homicide investigation involving two minors, while Katheryn’s school and community have filled in the human portrait of the child who died. School officials described her as a sweet student with a joyful, spunky personality, an enthusiastic reader and a familiar presence in the halls.
Before the police charge became public, Katheryn was known at school as a child who brought energy to ordinary days. Piedmont Elementary officials said she “brought smiles, kindness, and a bright light” to the school each day. The statement said students, teachers and staff were grieving the loss of one of their own. It also said grief counselors would be available for students and employees, a step that signaled how deeply the death had reached into the classroom. The school did not describe the circumstances of the killing, but it placed Katheryn’s name and personality before the public. That tribute became one of the clearest records of who she was outside the police file.
The criminal investigation began late April 17, when Piedmont police were sent to an undisclosed address for a report of a missing juvenile. Officers arrived after the 10:51 p.m. call and found a young girl inside the home with fatal injuries. Police Chief Nathan Johnson said the call began as a missing-person matter because the parents heard something, could not find one of the children inside and went outside to look. “They ended up finding a female with extensive injuries, appeared to be deceased,” Johnson said. The Calhoun County Coroner’s Office later identified the child as Katheryn and said she died from multiple stab wounds. Police said another juvenile was taken into custody and charged with murder.
Officials have not released the suspect’s name, age or relationship to Katheryn. Johnson said the suspect and victim were both from Piedmont, but he did not say whether they were relatives, classmates, neighbors or connected in another way. The location of the home has also not been disclosed, and authorities have not said whether it was Katheryn’s home. The case remains active, and police said no further details could be released because of the ages of the children involved. That has left the school community grieving in public while many facts remain held by investigators, including what happened before the call, whether anyone witnessed the attack and what evidence was collected.
Piedmont is a Calhoun County city where local schools often serve as community anchors. The death of a 10-year-old student moved quickly from a police matter to a citywide loss. Residents told local reporters they saw Piedmont as a safe, quiet place where many families know one another. That sense of closeness can make a child’s death feel broader than one household. Katheryn’s school statement reflected that reality, saying she would always remain part of the school family. The phrasing was not unusual for a grieving school, but it carried added weight because the accused person is also a juvenile. In one case, the community is facing both the death of a child and the prosecution of another child.
The legal path is now in the hands of authorities who must balance prosecution with juvenile confidentiality. Johnson said the case was turned over to Calhoun County District Attorney Lynn Hammond for further prosecution. Police announced one murder charge, but no public court schedule has been released. Juvenile proceedings are often shielded from public view, and records can remain confidential. That means the next steps may not look like a typical adult murder case. Prosecutors may review police reports, coroner findings, witness statements and evidence from the home before deciding how to proceed. Officials have not said whether they will seek to move the case into adult court or keep it in juvenile court.
Community voices have focused less on legal details and more on the shock of losing Katheryn. Jerry Stewart, president of the Piedmont Ministerial Association, said the town had already endured other recent deaths involving young people. He said the latest tragedy added to a season of grief. Avery Gowens, a local resident, said people were trying to support the family and the wider community. “We’re helping each other through this because this is very traumatic for the family,” Gowens said. Those comments showed how the response has moved through churches, schools and neighborhoods, not just the police department. Even people who did not know Katheryn said they were heartbroken.
Family grief has also surfaced in public statements. Blake Trammell, identified in reports as a relative, said the family had lost “the most amazing, sweetest little girl.” He said Katheryn was “a light in any room she walked into” and described a mix of pain, guilt and unanswered questions. His words matched the school’s memory of a bright child, but they also pointed to the uncertainty still surrounding the investigation. Police have not announced a motive. They have not said whether the accused juvenile has an attorney. They have not released a fuller timeline of the evening, beyond the missing-child call and the discovery inside the home.
For now, Katheryn’s name is being carried publicly by her school, her family and residents who have spoken about the loss. The murder charge remains pending against the unnamed juvenile, and the case is with the district attorney’s office as investigators continue their work.
Author note: Last updated May 10, 2026.