North Carolina woman arrested almost 50 years after her deceased newborn was discovered in a trash bag at a landfill

North Carolina Woman Arrested After Decades-Long Search for Newborn’s Mother

A woman from North Carolina has been arrested, bringing a significant cold case to light after nearly 50 years. This case began in 1979 when a newborn baby girl was discovered in garbage bags at a local landfill.

Using DNA evidence, investigators linked 69-year-old Kathy McKee to the Columbus County Landfill where her child’s body was found 47 years ago, as stated by the Columbus County Sheriff’s Office.

McKee was taken into custody on Tuesday, though authorities have not disclosed the cause of the baby’s death.

“For 47 years, this baby girl’s life, however brief, mattered to the detectives who first worked the case and to every detective who followed,” Sheriff Bill Rogers commented in a statement.

“She was never just evidence; she was never just a report. She was a child and she was never forgotten,” Rogers added.

Rogers highlighted that earlier investigators preserved crucial evidence that eventually contributed to solving the case.

Detectives reopened this investigation more than a year ago, utilizing advances in DNA technology to analyze old evidence and follow new leads, which ultimately connected McKee to the deceased infant.

“Thanks to the compassion and foresight of the original investigators…and the determination of the detectives who worked tirelessly on this investigation, we were finally able to give this child what he always deserved: the truth,” Rogers further explained.

The sheriff mentioned that the initial inquiry had thoroughly explored all possible leads until it went cold.

McKee, hailing from Whiteville, faces a felony charge for concealing the birth of a child but has been acquitted of murder.

Rogers clarified that McKee was charged under laws from 1979, noting that if the incident occurred today, the penalties would likely be harsher.

As for the cause of the infant’s death, the police have yet to provide that information.

Meanwhile, McKee’s arrest has left her neighborhood in shock and disbelief.

“I could hardly believe it,” remarked neighbor Sue Tyson. “That’s terrible. I only know her because I live on the same street, but I always thought she was a really nice person.”