A chilling surveillance video has emerged showing 12-year-old Eve Rogers running alone through the dark streets of Enfield, Connecticut, at 1:24 a.m. — just days before her lifeless body was discovered in her family home. The footage, obtained from a Mobil gas station on Elm Street, captures the young girl in a pink hoodie sprinting toward the convenience store in the dead of night, her small figure illuminated only by streetlights and the glow of the station. What happened inside — and especially what she did immediately after leaving — has left investigators, her family, and the entire community stunned and deeply disturbed.

The video, released as part of the ongoing investigation into Eve’s death on March 18, 2026, shows the girl entering the store alone, moving quickly through the aisles. She grabs an energy drink and attempts to leave without paying, prompting the clerk to call police. Moments later, an Enfield officer spots her walking westbound on Elm Street, about half a mile from her home. When questioned, the girl — identified in redacted reports as matching Eve’s description — gave vague answers about why she was out at such a dangerous hour. The officer drove her home, but the incident was reported to the Department of Children and Families (DCF), which launched its own inquiry into the family situation.

That nighttime escapade was not an isolated event. New details from search warrants and police reports reveal that Eve had been exhibiting increasingly unusual and concerning behavior in the days and weeks leading up to her death. She was known to sneak out of the house without her mother’s knowledge, often late at night or in the early morning hours. Investigators have seized her brother’s cell phone and a purple-cased Amazon tablet from the home, hoping digital evidence — including activity on Roblox and Discord — will shed light on who she may have been communicating with and what prompted her risky outings.

The Department of Children and Families confirmed it received a report in March 2026 that Eve had left home without permission to walk to a nearby store. The agency is investigating the family circumstances, though specific details remain limited. Neighbors and family friends have described Eve as a typical 12-year-old who loved playing games and chatting online, but some have noted she seemed more withdrawn or restless in recent months. Her mother, Melanie Federline, told investigators she was unaware of the extent of Eve’s nighttime wanderings until the shoplifting incident was brought to her attention.

Tragically, Eve was found unresponsive in her locked bedroom on the morning of March 18. First responders discovered her on the floor with signs of rigor mortis and lividity, blood and fluids coming from her nose. She was naked from the waist down with a blanket covering the lower half of her body. The shocking circumstances immediately raised red flags, leading police to treat the death as suspicious from the outset. A sexual assault kit was performed, and further investigation resulted in the arrest of Eve’s stepfather, Anthony Federline, who faces charges of sexual assault and risk of injury to a child. His DNA reportedly matched samples collected from Eve, according to arrest warrants.

The combination of the late-night store video, Eve’s unusual behavior after leaving the convenience store, and the subsequent discovery of her body has created a deeply disturbing timeline. After the officer returned her home following the shoplifting incident, Eve continued to exhibit signs of distress or secrecy. Police reports and warrants suggest she may have been engaging in online conversations of a sexual nature, though her mother claimed uncertainty about whether Eve had met anyone in person during her outings. The tablet and phone seized from the home are now central to the investigation, with authorities examining chats on Discord and activity on Roblox for any clues about potential grooming, online predators, or other factors that may have contributed to her vulnerability.

The Enfield community is reeling from the loss of a young girl described as bright, energetic, and full of potential. Neighbors have left flowers and messages at the Elm Street home, turning the property into a makeshift memorial. Schools in the area have offered counseling services, and local leaders have called for greater awareness around child safety, online dangers, and the importance of parental supervision during late-night hours. The fact that a 12-year-old was able to leave her home undetected multiple times has sparked urgent conversations about family dynamics, digital safety, and community vigilance.

DCF’s involvement prior to Eve’s death adds another layer of complexity and heartbreak. The agency’s report confirms it was investigating the shoplifting and runaway incident, but the exact steps taken remain under review. Child welfare advocates have used the case to highlight systemic challenges in identifying at-risk youth, especially when warning signs appear in the form of nighttime wanderings, shoplifting, or secretive online activity.

As the investigation continues, police are examining every digital footprint, witness statement, and piece of physical evidence. The stepfather’s arrest has brought some sense of accountability, but the full story of what led to Eve’s death — and why she was out alone in the middle of the night just days earlier — remains painfully incomplete. The surveillance video of her running to the store at 1:24 a.m., combined with her unusual actions afterward, has become a haunting focal point for both investigators and the public.

For Eve’s mother and surviving family members, the pain is compounded by the knowledge that warning signs may have been present but not fully understood or acted upon in time. The loss of a 12-year-old girl in such tragic circumstances has left an entire town asking difficult questions about safety, responsibility, and the hidden struggles young people can face even in seemingly ordinary homes.

The Enfield police and state authorities continue to urge anyone with information about Eve’s final days — including anyone who may have interacted with her online or seen her during her nighttime outings — to come forward. Every detail, no matter how small, could help piece together the events that led to this devastating outcome.

This heartbreaking case in Enfield serves as a stark reminder of how quickly a child’s life can be endangered by a combination of vulnerability, poor supervision, and external threats. The image of a 12-year-old girl running alone through the dark streets at 1:24 a.m., grabbing an energy drink, and then exhibiting strange behavior on her way home, now stands as a tragic symbol of missed opportunities and the urgent need for better protection of our most vulnerable.

As the community mourns and investigators dig deeper, the memory of Eve Rogers — a young girl who should have been safe in her own home — will continue to drive calls for stronger safeguards, increased awareness, and a renewed commitment to keeping children safe from both visible and hidden dangers.