(Rockford, IL) — A south suburban man has been charged with murder and kidnapping in connection with the death of a 10-year-old girl Saturday in Rockford.

The girl was reported missing about noon when her 6-year-old sister told their mother that a man had taken the girl, Rockford police said.

Officers found the girl unresponsive about 12:40 p.m. outside a home in the 1200 block of 9th Avenue, police said. She was taken to a nearby hospital, where she was pronounced dead.

Antonio Monroe, 44, of Blue Island, matched a description of the suspect and was taken into custody about a block away, near 9th Street and Woodruff Avenue, shortly after authorities found the girl, police said.

Monroe was charged with two felony counts of kidnapping and one felony count each of murder, attempted murder and aggravated battery.

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