In a tragic turn of events, authorities have discovered the lifeless body of 5-year-old Darnell Taylor, who had been missing since earlier this week. The foster mother of the child, Pammy Maye, was taken into custody Thursday night at a business on Tiedeman Road in Brooklyn, Ohio.

The heart-wrenching news was announced by Columbus Police Chief Elaine Bryant during a livestreamed press conference on Friday morning. Chief Bryant expressed her disappointment, stating, "This is not the outcome that we wanted."

The arrest occurred after an employee at Cenveo, an envelope manufacturer, called Brooklyn police to request a welfare check on a distraught woman who had entered the business. The woman, later identified as Pammy Maye, appeared to be in distress, crying and barefoot. However, she refused to disclose her name to the authorities.

Responding promptly, officers arrived at the scene and apprehended Maye at 9:38 p.m. She was then transported to a nearby hospital, where she was questioned by authorities including police, FBI agents, and U.S. marshals. At approximately 1 a.m., the authorities made a grim discovery, locating the lifeless body of young Darnell Taylor. The police chief did not disclose the cause of death.

Maye, who had been Darnell's foster mother since May, had been struggling with mental health issues. She is expected to be extradited back to Columbus, where she will face charges for murder, kidnapping, and child endangerment.

The arrest and tragic discovery came after Maye's husband contacted police at 3 a.m. on Wednesday, revealing that his wife had made distressing statements about harming the child. Shortly after the report, Maye's 2015 Jeep Cherokee was found in Brooklyn's 9000 block on Memphis Avenue. The motive for Maye's presence in the Brooklyn area remains unclear.

Throughout the investigation, Maye's husband has cooperated with law enforcement officers, according to police. Brooklyn authorities have offered their support to Columbus investigators in this heartbreaking case.

In response to the devastating turn of events, Brooklyn police expressed their condolences to Darnell Taylor's family, acknowledging that the outcome was not what anyone had hoped for. Cleveland.com and The Plain Dealer have reached out to the police for additional details, including the initial police reports.

As the community mourns the loss of this young child, local authorities are urging the public to come forward with any information that might shed light on this tragic incident.