The little girl found buried in a shallow grave now has a memorial all her own

The remains of Erica Parsons have not been laid to rest, but there is a place waiting when the time comes.

Last week workers placed a large granite bench on the grounds of West Lawn Memorial Park in China Grove. The bench includes a large sculpture of an angel, and the words "Erica Lynn Parsons."

In October an anonymous donor from Charlotte gave $5,000 to pay for the bench, according to Beth McKeithan of Prevent Child Abuse Rowan. Others in the community had also made donations towards the cost of the bench, and that money went to Prevent Child Abuse Rowan to purchase new instructional programs for parents and children, and to create a memorial to Erica at the Prevent Child Abuse Rowan Terrie Hess House.

West Lawn Memorial Park donated the plot, as well as burial services. Wilbur Vault Company of Greensboro is donating a vault, Lyerly Funeral Home in Salisbury donated funeral services.

For now, the remains of Erica Parsons are with the North Carolina Medical Examiner's Office.

Parsons had been missing from her Salisbury home since November of 2011 but wasn't reported missing of July 2013. Her adoptive father, Sandy Parsons, who is serving time in a federal prison for fraud, reportedly told investigators where to find Erica's remains.

Those remains were located in a shallow grave in Chesterfield, South Carolina, in early October. No one has been charged in connection with her death or disappearance.

Investigators say that when their work is complete they will turn over their findings to the Rowan County District Attorney's Office to determine of any charges are appropriate.

Erica's adoptive mother, Casey Parsons, is also in federal prison for fraud.

This story was originally published January 12, 2017 at 8:06 AM with the headline "The little girl found buried in a shallow grave now has a memorial all her own."