Chloe Darnell murder case: Sister Gabby Manriquez recalls the horror of losing her 4-year-old angel
WHITLEY COUNTY, KENTUCKY: Gabby Manriquez, the elder sister of Chloe Darnell, is reminiscing about the initial moment she cradled her lovely younger sibling.
"When I embraced her for the first time, she clutched my finger with her small hand and beamed with the most significant smile," shared Chloe's adolescent sister with People. "On that day, I experienced the greatest happiness in a long while."
Chloe Darnell's custody was given to Brittany Slaughter
The 4-year-old was in the care of an adult cousin, Brittany Slaughter, as Chloe's mother had passed away, and her father's health was deteriorating due to aging.
According to the Whitley County Sheriff’s Department, Chloe met a tragic fate at the hands of her cousin Brittany Slaughter and Brittany's boyfriend, Adam Hayes.
Chloe's remains were discovered buried in an improvised grave within the Daniel Boone National Forest in Eastern Kentucky.
The couple faces charges of aggravated murder, abuse of a corpse, and tampering with physical evidence, as outlined by the Whitley County District Court.
As per police records, Hayes has a series of child abuse cases against him, informed Campbell County Sheriff Wayne Barton.
Brittany's boyfriend Hayes's criminal past
On Christmas Day in 2009, Hayes was arrested on charges of felony aggravated child abuse and neglect.
The charges against Hayes encompassed accusations of assaulting a police officer and attempting to evade arrest when law enforcement sought to apprehend him, as detailed in Barton's report.
In the case concluded in 2010, Hayes was found guilty of felony assault related to a child in the Tennessee county adjacent to Whitley, Kentucky, according to Investigator Lassiter.
Jessica’s mother-in-law, Tricia Hess, initiated a GoFundMe page to assist with funeral expenses. Hess mentioned that Darnell was residing with her aunt, Slaughter, and identified Hayes as Slaughter's boyfriend.
On Thursday, November 17, the sheriff's department carried out a wellness check and discovered Slaughter at approximately 9:00 pm.
"During the night they searched the area around the house and surrounded woods and were able to locate Chloe's body," Hess stated.
According to Kentucky law enforcement, a body believed to be that of the young Kentucky girl "has been recovered and sent to the state medical examiner’s office in Frankfort for an autopsy and positive identification," as reported by NBC News.
If you suspect child abuse, call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child or 1-800-422-4453, or go to www.childhelp.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.
If you are experiencing domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, or go to thehotline.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.