Cold Case Solved: Mother Arrested in 1979 Baby Death

0:00Tampa Bay story is making news on March 2nd. Nearly 50 years after a newborn baby girl was found dead in a trash bag at a North Carolina landfill, authorities have arrested her mother in one of the area's oldest coal cases. The Columbus County Sheriff's Office charged 69-year-old Kathy McKee of Whiteville with felony concealing the birth of a child. She was identified through DNA testing. The grim discovery happened back in 1979, kicking off a massive investigation that eventually hit dead ends. But detectives never let the case fade away. It got passed down from one generation of investigators to the next, with the original evidence preserved with incredible care, despite no modern DNA. Tech at the time, Sheriff Bill Rogers says the baby was never forgotten even after all these decades. He called it a deeper reminder that every child deserves protection and love. Rogers treated her not just as evidence, but as a little girl whose short life still mattered.

1:00More than a year ago, the case reopened thanks to advances in DNA testing. That breakthrough led straight to McKee as the mother, making the arrests possible on February 25th. McKee posted a $5,000 bond and got released. She waved her right to counsel during a recent court appearance and the case moves forward from here. DNA is sponsored by our partner. Check out the episode description, a pillow that plays your sound quietly, comfortably, effortlessly, built for nighttime listening, S-O-L-L-I, solely pillow.com.