Avantae Deven arrested | Adoptive mother of missing children, Blake and London charged with their disappearance

FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. (WTVD) — A woman who adopted two children in Fayetteville was arrested and charged with murder, concealing their deaths and molesting them years after their disappearance.

Avantae Deven adopted Blake and London Deven and was arrested Wednesday in connection with their disappearance.

“Our evidence indicates that both Blake and London are deceased,” Fayetteville Chief Kemberle Braden said at a Wednesday afternoon news conference. Braden stated that their adoptive mother was responsible for abusing and ultimately killing the children. He said part of the abuse was hunger.

Avantae Deven has been charged with two counts of first-degree murder, two counts of concealment of death, one count of kidnapping in connection with the death of London Deven and two counts of child abuse in connection with the death of Blake Deven. He is being held at the Cumberland County Detention Center without bond.

Police say Deven tried to mislead detectives with various stories, which prolonged the investigation.

“She initially told us the story that Blake was probably on a Buddhist retreat in the mountains,” lead investigator Sgt. – said Jeff Locklear.

Police say Avantae only reported Blake missing earlier this year. Blake Deven was last seen in 2022 at Walmart on Ramsey Street, and London Deven was last seen in 2019 in Fayetteville.

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Blake Daven

Fayetteville police said the investigation began in November 2023 when officers responded to a call about a person suffering from a mental health crisis at a home on Berridale Drive where Avantae Deven lived with her adopted children. Police said the person affected stated he was Blake Deven’s brother and had not seen him in five years. He also told officers that the last time he saw Blake, the boy had a broken arm.

The investigator confirmed that there were five children in the home who were adopted from three different North Carolina counties. This included three boys who were biologically related and two girls who were not related to each other or to the boys.

Police and the Department of Social Services (DSS) interviewed the children, and all of them described in detail the horrific treatment suffered by their adoptive mother, Avantae.

The children stated that they were kept in a small, dark room and received little or no food. They told the police that they could earn money for food by writing articles apologizing for their behavior.

Police reported that the children claimed that they were sometimes beaten to the point of requiring medical attention. A detective who spoke at the press conference said they believed Blake’s body could no longer withstand the hunger and beatings and he died. They said that after his death, Avantae forced someone to participate in burning and disposing of his body while they lived at the house on Eichelberger Drive.

The police said they found evidence of this in the house.

Investigators said forensic evidence supported allegations of torture, starvation and isolation.

London Deven

Investigators learned of London Deven’s death while investigating Blake’s death.

Police said that during the investigation they found a burnt metal barrel containing the remains of two children. A teenager aged 15-19 and a boy aged 7-10. Laboratory tests confirmed that the girl’s remains belonged to London Deven.

From the children’s interrogations, it appears that London died in the same way as Blake, that is, from starvation, violence and neglect. The children said someone was forced to participate in the disposal of London’s body.

They said London had special needs and her adoptive mother never officially reported her missing, now charged with her death.

A second set of remains are being examined for positive identification.

WATCH | Time in Blake and the London Deven Case

TO WATCH | Fayetteville Police are providing an update on the disappearance of Blake and Londo Deven

Fayetteville police continue to appeal to the public for information that could help establish a timeline for the investigation into the deaths of Blake and London.

RELATED | Blake Deven went on a Buddhist retreat before going missing in 2022, according to his mom calling 911