Deonna Hollingsworth, 26, has been charged with neglect after her 5-year-old stepdaughter, who was in her care, was found dead in the Wabash River in Indiana.
An Indiana woman, Deonna Hollingsworth, 26, has been charged with neglect after her 5-year-old stepdaughter was found dead in a river.
According to Knox County officials, they received a 911 call on Thursday afternoon reporting that a child had been playing in the Wabash River at Kimmel Park in Vincennes, Indiana, before going missing.
Multiple agencies, including the Knox County Sheriff's Office, Vincennes Police Department, and Indiana Department of Natural Resources (DNR), responded to the scene and began searching for the girl.
After several hours of searching, divers from the DNR located the girl's body near the park's boat ramp at around 7:15 p.m.
The girl was in the care of Hollingsworth, her stepmother, when she vanished in the river.
Hollingsworth has been charged with neglect in connection with the child's death.
"We felt there was enough evidence to show the child was in her care at the time, and the child was put in a situation that endangered her life or health," said DNR Officer Joe Haywood.
The incident remains under investigation.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
* The victim's name has not been released.
* The cause of death has not been released.
* Hollingsworth is being held in the Knox County Jail.
* A motive for the neglect has not been released.
* The investigation is ongoing.
