Body of missing Indiana girl found in shed behind home; stepmom accused of strangling her

GAS CITY, Ind. – The stepmother of a missing 10-year-old from Indiana is accused of strangling her to death after authorities spent four days searching for the girl.

Police arrested Amanda Carmack, Skylea Carmack’s stepmother, Wednesday morning around 4:30 a.m. in connection with the girl's death. She faces preliminary charges of murder, neglect of a dependent resulting in serious bodily injury, strangulation, and domestic battery resulting in serious bodily injury.

The four-day search for Skylea came to an end around 3 a.m. Wednesday morning. Police found her body in a shed behind her Gas City home. She was hidden inside a plastic trash bag.

Skylea’s father, Kevin Carmack, told WXIN he left Skylea at home with Amanda and six other children when he went to work on Saturday.

Police say evidence shows Amanda strangled her between 4:30 p.m. and 6 p.m. Amanda called police to report her missing around 9 p.m.

The coroner will conduct an autopsy to verify her cause of death.

Police say a "conglomerate of evidence" led them to arrest Amanda, and they believe she is the only person involved in the murder. They have no other suspects at this time.

The six other children who were in the home are now with Child Protective Services.

"There's no rationale" for killing a 10-year-old girl, Indiana State Police Sgt. Tony Slocum said. "That's just cowardice."