LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The mother of a 4-year-old girl missing for 14 months was charged with murder on Saturday, authorities said.
On Saturday, Catherine McKinney, 21, and her boyfriend, Dakota Hill, 26, both of Shepherdsville, were charged with murder and abuse of a corpse, WDRB-TV reported.
Serenity Ann McKinney had not been seen since Dec. 24, 2020, according to the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office.
Mother of missing 4-year-old Kentucky girl charged with murder after body found in West Point, Ky: https://t.co/RlOJMpYXKp pic.twitter.com/tpDyrYEkfE
— WDRB News (@WDRBNews) February 19, 2022
According to Kentucky State Police, Serenity McKinney’s remains were found Friday in West Point near the Jefferson-Bullitt County line, WHAS-TV reported. An autopsy was scheduled for Saturday morning, WDRB reported.
Catherine McKinney and Hill were already in custody at the Shelby County Detention Center after being charged with custodial interference, according to WHAS. The couple was charged when they failed to produce Serenity McKinney after being ordered by a court to do so, the Courier-Journal of Louisville reported.
They were arrested in Kansas on those charges before being extradited back to Kentucky, WHAS reported.
Serenity McKinney was reported missing by concerned family members on Jan. 31, 2022, according to the Courier-Journal.
The investigation surrounding the child’s disappearance and death remains under investigation, WHAS reported.
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