Child's body found in Merced home, police say

MERCED, Calif. (KFSN) -- A search warrant brought detectives to a home on Barclay Rd., in a quiet Merced neighborhood, where they made a gruesome discovery

Detectives who were investigating the disappearance of 8-year-old Sophia Mason say her mom, Samantha Johnson, was taken into custody in Alameda County on Thursday. Her statements led police to the residence in Merced.

RELATED: Merced police searching for 8-year-old girl who went missing last month

Neighbors who live on the block are not willing to accept something this tragic could happen.

"We thought she was missing at first because they wouldn't tell us anything, it could have been anybody," says Diamond Johnson. "It hurts. I cried for her and I don't even know her."

One mom who lives nearby brought her own daughter to light candles and honor the young life that was taken too soon

"I think the misnomer is to think that we're exempt, that it doesn't happen in our community," she said. "It's here, it's present and it's not a matter of blame or situational hazard, it's an imminent fear."

Detectives are still not able to confirm if the body found earlier was indeed Sophia Mason, who has been missing just over a month now, but we are able to confirm that a body of a child was found in the home.