The aunt of a little girl has been arrested together with her boyfriend after the tragic death of the four-year-old Chloe Darnell whose body was discovered after a missing person report.
The Whitley County Sheriff’s Department in Kentucky reported that a body, believed to be that of the four-year-old, had been recovered and sent to the state medical examiner’s office in Frankfort for an autopsy and positive identification.
A family member had earlier identified the deceased child as Chloe in a GoFundMe campaign.
Brittany Slaughter, 24, and her boyfriend Adam Hayes, 34, now face charges of murder, abuse of a corpse, and tampering with physical evidence, with the sheriff’s department noting that additional charges may be filed as the investigation continues.
The preliminary investigation by the sheriff’s department revealed that Slaughter had custody of Chloe, who had not been seen alive since late September.
Both Slaughter and Chloe had been reported missing from the Canada Town Community of Whitley County when the investigation to find her began.
The sheriff’s department seized a red 2009 Mitsubishi Lancer on Thursday, 16th November, believed to have been used by Slaughter before Chloe’s disappearance.
Subsequently, on the following day, the arrests of both Slaughter and Hayes were announced.
A GoFundMe campaign created by Tricia Hess, who identified herself as a relative, painted a picture of Chloe as “a bright happy child” living with her aunt, Brittany Slaughter.
Concerns among family and friends arose when they were unable to see or communicate with Chloe for the past month, prompting the sheriff’s department to conduct a wellness check.
Slaughter was located on Thursday night, and during the subsequent search around the house and surrounding woods, Chloe’s body was discovered.
The GoFundMe campaign initiated by Hess aims to provide a proper funeral and burial for Chloe, with remaining funds intended to bring Chloe’s seven siblings into town for the funeral.
Chloe’s sister, in a Facebook post, mentioned that initially, they were allowed to visit Chloe.
However, communication ceased when Slaughter stopped responding, and by then, Chloe had not been seen since late September.
