‘Something that you just can’t imagine.’ 2 charged after missing Kentucky girl found dead
A man and a woman have been arrested and charged with the murder of a 4-year-old girl in Whitley County, the local sheriff’s office announced Friday morning.
Williamsburg residents Brittany Slaughter, 24, and Adam Hayes, 34, have been arrested and charged with murder, abuse of a corpse and evidence tampering, according to the Whitley County Sheriff’s Department. They’re accused of killing 4-year-old Chloe Darnell. Darnell and Slaughter, who had custody of Darnell, were both reported missing earlier this week. But they hadn’t been seen since September.
A GoFundMe page was created to raise money for Darnell’s funeral expenses by Tricia Hess, a member of the family. The money raised from the page will go towards Darnell’s funeral and burial and getting Darnell’s seven siblings to the funeral.
Slaughter was located by the sheriff’s office Wednesday evening, Hess said on the GoFundMe page. Deputies searched the house and surrounding area for Darnell and were able to locate Darnell’s body.
“Family and Friends were becoming suspicious because they were unable to see or talk with Chloe the past month,” Hess said on the GoFundMe page.
Amber Morales Lopez, another family member of Darnell’s, said she last spoke to Darnell in late July. She said Slaughter would continuously come up with excuses as to why Darnell couldn’t see the family.
The sheriff’s office announced it was looking for the two Wednesday, and sought the public’s help locating them or a car they had been seen in prior to their disappearance. They found the vehicle and Slaughter on Thursday, but Darnell’s “whereabouts and welfare” remained “in question” at that time.
The sheriff’s office confirmed Friday that investigators found a body “believed to be” Darnell. The body was sent to the medical examiner’s office for an autopsy and to confirm the victim’s identity.
Morales Lopez said Slaughter and Hayes originally buried Darnell’s body in the yard of their house. The body was later moved somewhere else where it was eventually found by authorities.
“This is still an active investigation and further charges could be possible,” the sheriff’s department said in a Facebook post.
Darnell described as happy, spunky kid
Morales Lopez said Darnell was a good child and that she was easy to please. Darnell loved to play, especially with dolls.
“I tried to get some toys to her in September and some clothes that were given to me when I was Chloe’s size that I never got to give her,” Morales Lopez said.
Morales Lopez also said Darnell was spunky and that you never knew what was going to come out of her mouth.
“As a mother and a family member, this is something that you just can’t imagine,” Morales Lopez said.
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This story was originally published November 17, 2023 at 8:16 AM.