Cold Case Arrest Made in Long-Unsolved Infant Death

After nearly five decades, a woman has been arrested concerning the case of a newborn baby girl who was found inside a garbage bag in a North Carolina landfill. This incident has remained one of the area’s oldest cold cases.

On February 25, the Columbus County Sheriff’s Office reported the arrest of 69-year-old Kathy McKee, from Whiteville, North Carolina. McKee is facing charges for felony concealment of the birth of a child, following DNA testing that confirmed her as the mother.

The investigation kicked off in 1979 when the body of the newborn was unearthed in a landfill in Columbus County. Despite exhaustive searches and attempted leads, the case grew cold. Authorities emphasized, however, that it was “never forgotten.”

“For 47 years, this baby girl’s story has been passed down among generations of investigators,” said the sheriff’s office. They noted that some of the original team who worked on the case are still remembered, but others have since retired or passed away.

It’s clear that the department felt a deep sense of responsibility towards this case, which serves as a poignant reminder that this child deserves to be honored and that answers are essential.

Notably, although the case dates back to a time before advanced DNA technology, the original investigators preserved evidence meticulously, making this recent arrest possible.

“Their professionalism, compassion, and foresight guaranteed that this baby girl would not be lost to history,” the department stated.

The case was officially reopened about a year ago, leading to the utilization of modern DNA methods that helped uncover new leads, which eventually identified McKee as the infant’s mother.

Sheriff Bill Rogers reflected on the emotional weight of the case, stating that “every child born deserves protection, love, and recognition.” Over the decades, this baby girl’s brief life left a significant impact on those who worked on the case, and they have kept her memory alive.

McKee has been released on a $5,000 bond and opted to waive her right to legal representation during a recent court appearance.