A 14-year-old Indiana boy has been arrested in connection with the death of a 6-year-old girl, whose body was found hours after he was reported last week, authorities said.
Little Grace Ross disappeared Friday around 6:30 p.m. in New Carlisle, a town about 1,861 about 15 miles west of South Bend.
His body was discovered two hours later in a wooded area not far from where he disappeared, the South Bend Tribune reported.
The St. Louis County Metro Homicide Unit Joseph said a 14-year-old suspect had been arrested. His name and details of the charges he will face were not disclosed.
A candlelight vigil by Ross was scheduled for Sunday evening at a New Carlisle park. The girl’s relatives also started a fundraiser on Facebook to help with funeral expenses.
“My beloved 6-year-old niece, Grace Ross, died yesterday. He is now an angel in heaven, ”wrote Nicole Ross on the fundraising page.
Residents of the small town were shocked by the tragedy.
“Right at the back door, you don’t expect anything similar to ever happen in your area,” Kim Huston, who has lived in New Carlisle for 40 years, told the local WSBT dam.
“It’s a small town and we don’t usually have much crime in the area,” he added.