A Columbus County woman was arrested Tuesday, nearly five decades after a newborn baby was found in a North Carolina landfill.
Decades-Aged Case Resolved Through DNA Technology
Cathy McKee, 69, of Whiteville, has been charged with felony concealing the birth of a child in connection with the 1979 case, according to the Columbus County Sheriff’s Office. The body of a newborn baby girl was discovered inside a trash bag at the Columbus County landfill that year.
Despite an initial investigation, the case remained unsolved for 47 years. Advances in DNA technology allowed investigators to revisit the case in recent years and ultimately identify McKee as the infant’s mother. McKee was arrested Tuesday afternoon.
Sheriff Highlights Importance of Evidence Preservation
Columbus County Sheriff Bill Rogers described the case as “one of the county’s oldest and most heartbreaking unsolved cases.” He credited the work of investigators in 1979 for their foresight in preserving evidence. According to a statement posted on Facebook, Rogers wrote, “Long before modern DNA testing existed…they treated the case with extraordinary care.”
The Sheriff’s Office reopened the case after an audit of their evidence locker revealed materials related to the investigation.
Frequently Asked Questions
What charge was Cathy McKee facing?
Cathy McKee was charged with felony concealing the birth of a child.
When was the baby’s body discovered?
The body of a newborn baby girl was discovered in 1979.
What role did DNA technology play in solving the case?
Advances in DNA technology allowed investigators to identify McKee as the infant’s mother, leading to her arrest.
further legal proceedings will follow, and the case could be presented before the courts. The outcome of those proceedings remains to be seen.
