Investigators in North Carolina have found the mother of a newborn girl found dead in a landfill in 1979.
Thanks to the use of genetic genealogy, Cathy McKee, 69, has been charged with concealing the birth of a child, the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation said.
The baby’s body was found in a trash bag at the Columbus County landfill, but the investigation went cold for decades. Then, more than a year ago, the case was formally reopened.
“Detectives began a renewed, patient, and methodical review of the evidence alongside SBI partners,” the state agency said. “Because that original evidence had been preserved, advances in DNA technology allowed investigators to pursue new leads and ultimately identify Cathy McKee as the infant’s mother.”
McKee was arrested on Tuesday.
Neither the press release nor court documents say how the baby died, but an affidavit lists the offense date as January 11, 1979, the Charlotte Observer reports.
McKee was initially given a $20,000 bond, which was reduced to $5,000 at her first appearance, WECT reported. She posted the bond and waived her right to counsel.
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[Featured image: Cathy McKee/Columbus County Sheriff’s Office]
