Body of missing 4-year-old Shelby County girl found

Shepherdsville, Ky. (WAVE) -A murder investigation is underway after a multiple agency search led to the discovery of a missing-four-year-old’s body.

Serenity Ann McKinney of Shelby County was last seen in Dec. 24, 2020, and was reported missing on Jan. 31.

Around 2 p.m. on Friday, detectives found the four year-old’s body in a wooded area near the 1300 block of Skyview Road in West Point near the Jefferson-Bullitt County line, according to Kentucky State Police.

The victim’s body was taken to the Kentucky Medical Examiner’s Office in Louisville by the Bullitt Co. Coroner’s Office and an autopsy was scheduled for Saturday morning, the release said.

Serenity’s mother, 21-year-old Catherine McKinney of Shepherdsville and her boyfriend, 26-year-old Dakota Hill of Shepherdsville have been charged with murder and abuse of a corpse.

Both McKinney and Hill are in custody at Shelby Co. Detention Center after being charged for custodial interference by the SCSO.

McKinney and Hill were arrested last week in Kansas before being extradited back to Kentucky.

KSP is handling the investigation.

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