Woman arrested 47 years after newborn baby found dead in county landfill, authorities say

COLUMBUS COUNTY, N.C. (WECT/Gray News) – Authorities in North Carolina say a cold case that dates back nearly five decades has been solved.

According to the Columbus County Sheriff’s Office, Cathy McKee, 69, has been arrested in connection with a 47-year-old case involving a newborn baby found at the Columbus County landfill.

In 1979, the body of a baby girl was found inside a trash bag. Authorities said investigators opened a death investigation case, but all leads were eventually exhausted, and the case went cold.

Columbus County authorities said it then reopened the case a year ago and, thanks to advances in DNA technology, investigators identified McKee as the infant’s mother.

On Tuesday, the 69-year-old was arrested and charged with felony concealing the birth of a child.

“For 47 years, this baby girl’s story was carried forward — passed from one generation of investigators to the next,“ the sheriff’s office said. ”Some who first worked the scene are still remembered today; others have since retired, moved on, or passed away. Yet the responsibility they felt in that moment did not fade.”

Evidence was meticulously collected and treated with “extraordinary care,” authorities noted regarding the investigation.

“As a father, this case hits deeply,” Columbus County Sheriff Bill Rogers said. “Every child who enters this world deserves protection, love, and the chance to be known.”

McKee made her first court appearance this week, where she waived her right to counsel.

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