A Sunday school teacher has been arrested and charged with kidnapping and murder a Tracy girl whose body was found in a suitcase.

Tracy Police Sgt. Tony Sheneman says 28-year-old Melissa Huckaby was arrested late Friday night after voluntarily going to police for questioning about the death of 8-year-old Sandra Cantu.

“She gave enough information to us during the course of the interview that probable cause was there to arrest her,” Sheneman said.

The child’s body was found inside an irrigation pond on April 6 just a couple miles from her home.

Sandra’s aunt, Angie Chavez, told The Associated Press early Saturday that she was happy to learn of the arrest.

“I want to know why she did it, if she did it,” Chavez said.

Huckaby told a local newspaper that Sandra visited her home March 27, the day she disappeared.

Huckaby is the granddaughter of Pastor Clifford Lawless, whose Clover Road Baptist Church was the subject of a police search.  Their mobile home had been searched several times in the past two weeks.  The church and a shed outside the church was also searched.

She taught Sunday school at the church.

Police had announced Friday a $32,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the killer of Cantu, last seen skipping down the street near her mobile home, in a Friday afternoon press conference.

Sandra was last seen March 27 on surveillance camera skipping away from the Orchard Estates Mobile Home Park in Tracy, where she lived.

Police labeled her death a homicide.

On Thursday, detectives went back to the mobile home park where the girl resided after finding an envelope reading: “From Sandra, to my killer.”

“You’ve taken my life away from me, but I forgive you and God will judge you at some point,” the note inside said.

On Friday, Sandra’s body was released from the coroner. She will remain at the Tracy Mausoleum until her funeral next week.

A Tracy church is opening its doors to the public so they have a place to mourn.

Fry Memorial Chapel will be open through the weekend.