Tragedy rocked the Mississippi Gulf Coast this week after a 6-year-old girl went missing from her yard on Sunday and was after law enforcement, family and community volunteers formed a search party in hopes of bringing her home safe.
When law enforcement announced Gracelynn Vick had gone missing, pictures of the blonde-haired girl from Saucier — a small town near Gulfport, Mississippi —flooded Facebook and Instagram as the search began.
People shared her photo, prayed for good news and joined the efforts to find Gracelynn, a student at Saucier Elementary School.
But the search ended in heartbreak when a volunteer found Gracelynn's body inside of a barrel on the family farm, . As word spread about the child's death, so did rumors on social media that alleged someone was arrested in connection to the case.
Harrison County Sheriff Matt Haley quashed those theories Thursday in a press conference attended by the Sun Herald, with Coroner Brian Switzer saying there were no signs of foul play after completing Gracelynn's initial autopsy.
Here's everything to know about the case.
Gracelynn goes missing
Gracelynn's family reported her missing to Harrison County authorities around noon on Sunday, April 13, according to multiple media reports.
The child had gone outside and disappeared on the family property near F. Taylor and Saucier Fairley roads.
Harrison County sheriff's deputies, Gulf Coast Search and Rescue and other law enforcement agencies, as well as volunteers, immediately began searching for her.
Gracelynn's body found: 'Absolutely no foul play'
The child's body was found inside of 58-gallon barrel on the farm about six hours after she went missing, Haley told the Sun Herald. The barrel, which had a lid that screws or snaps shut, was usually full of animal feed but was empty that day.
"There are absolutely no signs of foul play," Haley said, adding that security cameras covered the area where Gracelynn was found.
“After reviewing the the video multiple times, it was determined that while playing outside, Gracelynn went inside the barrel herself and closed the lid from inside,” the sheriff told the Sun Herald.
A preliminary autopsy confirmed the child’s body had no signs of trauma and no signs of any type of attack. The results of a full autopsy, which would include the manner and cause of death and the results of toxicology testing, are still pending, Harrison County Coroner Brian Switzer said.
Family grieves
Gracelynn loved being with her mother, Vicky Lynn (Wedgeworth) Hutcherson, on the farm named after the girl, said aunt Jackie Polk. Gracelynn would also spend free time with Polk at her home in the Kiln, she told the Sun Herald.
“She was just a lovely girl,” Polk said. “She was smart, and she loved to be outside taking care of the animals.”
Sun Herald reporter Margaret Baker first broke this story. .