COLUMBUS COUNTY, N.C. — A heartbreaking mystery that haunted a North Carolina community for nearly five decades has finally taken a turn.
The Columbus County Sheriff’s Office announced that a 47-year-old cold case involving a newborn baby found inside a trash bag at a county landfill has been solved — leading to the arrest of a 69-year-old woman.
The case dates all the way back to 1979.
In 1979, deputies responded to a disturbing scene at the Columbus County landfill after the body of a newborn baby girl was discovered inside a trash bag.
Investigators launched an extensive probe at the time, collecting evidence and interviewing potential leads. But despite their efforts, the trail eventually went cold.
For decades, the identity of the baby and the circumstances surrounding her death remained unanswered .
According to the Sheriff’s Office, the evidence collected back then was preserved with “extraordinary care,” a decision that would prove critical nearly 50 years later.
About a year ago, authorities reopened the case with help from the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation Coastal District and its Cold Case Unit. Thanks to advancements in forensic DNA technology — science that simply did not exist in 1979 — investigators were able to identify the infant’s mother.
On February 24, deputies arrested Cathy McKee, 69, of Whiteville, in connection to the case.
She has been charged with Felony Concealing the Birth of a Child.
McKee was initially held under a $20,000 secured bond. During her first court appearance, that bond was reduced to $5,000. Records show she has since posted bond and waived her right to court-appointed counsel.
Investigators say the responsibility to seek justice for the child never faded — even as the original detectives retired or passed away.
For 47 years, the baby’s story remained open.
Additional details surrounding the circumstances of the infant’s death have not yet been publicly released.
The investigation remains active.
