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Woman charged after 5-year-old found dead in the Wabash River, young girl identified

By Chris Essex

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    VINCENNES, Indiana (WTHI) — Officials said a five-year-old girl was found dead in the Wabash River – and now one woman is facing charges.

It happened Thursday at Kimmel Park in Vincennes.

Around 2:40, dispatchers received a 911 call about a child playing in the Wabash River was missing.

Crews searched for the girl using boats and sonar. They found her dead just after 7:00 Thursday night near the boat ramp.

The Knox County Coroner’s Office identied the young girl as Mila Hollingsworth. The results of the child’s autopsy are pending. The coroner said his team, along with police, are working to uncover details surrounding her death.

The Associated Press reports Hollingsworth was the girl’s stepmother

“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,” DNR Officer Joe Haywood said of the stepmother.

After investigating, officers arrested Deonna Hollingsworth, 26, of Vincennes. She was charged with neglect of a dependent.

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