Mother of slain Fla. girl: Charges bring some relief, but pain is still excruciating

Slain child’s mom: Charges bring some relief

ORANGE PARK, Fla. — The mother of 7-year-old Somer Thompson, who vanished while walking home from school in north Florida, says charges filed in her daughter’s murder have brought some relief.

Diena Thompson told NBC’s “Today Show” her family is doing “a little bit better” after detectives charged 24-year-old Jarred Mitchell Harrell with premeditated murder Friday.

Thompson said she goes through a gamut of emotions and that the pain is excruciating. She also said she thinks it would be fair for Harrell to get the death penalty.

Somer Thompson’s body was found in a Georgia landfill two days after she disappeared in October.

Harrell has also been charged with lewd and lascivious battery and sexual battery. He was already being held on child porn charges in a separate case.