Kentucky law enforcement officials have apprehended two individuals in connection with the disappearance of a 4-year-old girl, following the grim discovery of a body believed to be the child’s. Brittany Slaughter, 24, a cousin of the missing girl, and her partner, Adam Hayes, 34, are now facing a slew of charges, including murder and abuse of a corpse, as of November 17.
The missing child, Chloe Darnell, was last seen in September, but her disappearance was not reported until recently. This delay sparked an investigation by the Whitley County Sheriff’s Department. On Friday, the department announced the discovery of a body, thought to be Darnell’s.
The state of the body at the time of discovery has not been disclosed, but it has been transported to the state medical examiner’s office in Frankfort for an autopsy and definitive identification.
Initially, both Slaughter and Darnell were classified as missing persons. However, the department later reported that Slaughter was found safe following the discovery of a red Mitsubishi Lancer, which she was believed to have been driving. The vehicle was located on Thursday.
In the early hours of Friday, Slaughter was taken into custody, with Hayes arrested shortly after. Hayes faces additional charges, including possession of a firearm, possession of marijuana, and trafficking in heroin.
Law enforcement officials have indicated that further charges against both Slaughter and Hayes may be forthcoming as the investigation progresses.
The body, presumed to be Darnell’s, has been sent for official identification and an autopsy. Slaughter’s bail has been set at $1.5 million, while Hayes is required to post $1.605 million for pretrial release.