Whiteville, North Carolina — A 47-year-old cold case that began with the heartbreaking discovery of a newborn baby girl inside a trash bag at a Columbus County landfill has now led to an arrest.
Authorities with the Columbus County Sheriff’s Office confirmed that Cathy McKee, 69, was taken into custody after modern DNA testing linked her to the infant whose body was discovered in 1979. Investigators say the case had gone cold decades ago after every available lead was exhausted.
Cold Case Reopened After Decades
The case was reopened more than a year ago as detectives revisited preserved evidence using advanced forensic DNA technology. Law enforcement officials say those scientific advancements ultimately helped identify McKee nearly five decades later.
Sheriff Bill Rogers emphasized that the child was never forgotten, even as the years passed.
“For 47 years, this baby girl’s life — however brief — mattered to the investigators who first held that case in their hands and to every detective who reviewed it after. She was never just evidence, never just a report. She was a child, and she was never forgotten.”
Officials credited the original investigators for their careful preservation of evidence in 1979, a decision that proved crucial in solving the case decades later.
“Because of the compassion and foresight of those original deputies who preserved the evidence so carefully, and because of the determination of our detectives who have worked tirelessly on this investigation, we are finally able to give this child what she deserved all along — the truth.”
Charges Filed Under 1979 Law
McKee has been charged with felony concealing the birth of a child under the laws that were in effect at the time of the incident. Authorities clarified that she is not facing murder charges, explaining that prosecutors must proceed under statutes that existed in 1979.
Sheriff Rogers noted that if the case occurred under today’s laws, the charges could potentially be more severe. However, legal limitations tied to the time period restrict how the case can be prosecuted.
Officials have not disclosed the baby’s cause of death, and additional details surrounding the circumstances remain limited as the case moves through the court system.
Community Reaction and Bond Release
The arrest has sent shockwaves through Whiteville, a small community in Columbus County. Neighbors expressed disbelief, describing McKee as someone they knew casually and never suspected of being tied to such a tragic case.
After her arrest, McKee was released from custody upon posting a $5,000 bond, according to authorities.
The Power of Modern DNA Technology
Law enforcement officials say this case highlights how advances in DNA science continue to reshape cold case investigations nationwide. Evidence once considered insufficient can now yield answers decades later.
Read Also: Veteran LAPD Officer Charged With Felony Insurance Fraud After Allegedly Skydiving on Disability
For investigators, this arrest marks the closing of a chapter that remained open for nearly half a century — and a reminder that even the oldest cases can resurface when technology catches up.
Do you believe modern DNA advancements are changing the way long-forgotten cases are solved? Share your thoughts respectfully in the comments below.
