Authorities reported that An Indiana woman has been charged with neglect after her 5-year-old stepdaughter was found dead in a river.
Deonna Hollingsworth, 26, has been charged in connection with the girl’s death last Thursday afternoon.
Knox County officials said they received a 911 call around 2:40 p.m. Thursday in which a person reported a child missing after playing in the Wabash River at Kimmel Park in Vincennes, Indiana, according to the WFIE channel.
Multiple agencies immediately responded to the river and searched for the girl using boats, sonar and diving equipment, according to the state Department of Natural Resources.
The girl’s body was found by divers around 7:15 p.m. near the park’s boat ramp.
The girl was in the care of Hollingsworth, her stepmother, when she disappeared in the river.
“We felt there was sufficient evidence to show that the child was in their care at the time and that the child was placed in a situation that endangered her life or health,” Department of Natural Resources official Joe Haywood said.
The incident remains under investigation.
Teenager killed his father in Indiana
This week, Indiana police also reported that they are searching for the body of an HVAC technician believed to be was thrown into an Indianapolis river after allegedly being murdered by his 17-year-old son.
Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department (IMPD) detectives arrested 17-year-old David Perry on June 1 for his alleged role in the murder of his father, 35-year-old Brandon Perry.
On May 29, IMPD Missing Persons detectives began investigating the disappearance of Brandon Perry, last seen on May 26, after his sister found a large amount of blood at the bottom of his mattress after searching his house.
Investigators discovered a handgun, purchased by Perry and given to his son, David, was missing, along with a large blue Republic trash can at the curb. Additionally, on May 26 the teen went to Walmart and purchased a red dolly, a dustpan, a small fan, seat covers, a candle, a belt and a small gun safe.
After an analysis of the physical evidence and multiple interviews, Detectives determined that Perry was murdered by his son.
David was formally charged with murder and dangerous possession of a firearm on June 5.according to the police.
A jury trial is scheduled for August, but prosecutors believe it will likely be postponed.
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