(Fayetteville, NC) -- The father of five-year-old Shaniya Davis, whose remains were found in North Carolina Monday, has issued a plea to the nation.

Brad Lockhart urged Americans to report suspicions of child abuse.

He asked people not to ignore a situation where any person might be in danger.

He said "we can't just keep ignoring these types of situations." He thanked all the volunteers who gave hours to the search for his daughter even though the result wasn't what he'd hoped for.

Lockhart indicated he'd been told very little about the case by authorities and said he was unaware the child's mother had been accused of prostituting the little girl.

He says Shaniya had spent most of her life living with him but went to stay with her mother on October 9th.

He believes social service agencies were aware the girl had moved into a troubled home.

Shaniya's mother, Antoinette Davis, is facing charges of human trafficking, felony child abuse and prostitution.

　

(Copyright 2009 by VERTEXNews/Newsroom Solutions)