Police said that the circumstances surrounding a 14-year-old missing girl’s death are “suspicious” after she was found dead in a creek in South Dakota during a snowstorm.
Sioux Falls Police officials said during a press briefing on Monday, March 23, that McKenna Wendel was last seen alive in Sioux Falls between the late evening on March 13 and the early morning of March 14. She was reported missing soon after on March 15.
Police said that a days-long search took place before Wendel’s body was found on March 19 in Brookings, South Dakota. The landowner of the property where Wendel was found said she was situated in a drainage creek, per USA Today.
Authorities are still waiting for her cause and manner of her death to be confirmed, though police said through the press briefing that they imagine the teenager died under “suspicious circumstances.”
Authorities added that they retrieved evidence that indicated Wendel and “others” could have traveled to other locations inside Iowa, Minnesota and South Dakota while she was missing. Nevertheless, it’s not clear who the “others” in query are at the moment.
Wendel was believed to have been “transported in a vehicle” to the placement where her body was found, based on officials. Nevertheless, officers didn’t specify if she was alive or dead on the time she was moved.
The police captain told reporters that they were led to Wendel’s body with the assistance of a citizen and someone with knowledge of the situation, but he didn’t elaborate further.
Officers added that considered one of Wendel’s relations was arrested on unrelated charges of DUI, though insisted they are usually not a suspect in Wendel’s death on the time. Authorities added that Wendel’s family has been cooperative with detectives amid the investigation.
The case is currently under a multi-agency investigation that spans different jurisdictions including Brookings County, South Dakota, Iowa and Minnesota. Meanwhile, police are working with the FBI and U.S. Attorney Office to attempt to learn what happened to Wendel.
Sioux City police have urged anyone with information to succeed in out to them because the investigation stays ongoing.
Wendel was an eighth-grade student on the time of her disappearance.
“From a young age, it was apparent McKenna had a vibrant personality and a zest for all times. She loved being outdoors — climbing trees, playing within the park, and riding her bike,” her obituary read. “She could often be found digging within the dirt in search of critters or catching tadpoles to bring home as pets.”
Two days after she was reported missing, authorities in North Carolina have tragically confirmed that they’ve recovered the body of 18-year-old Yadira Hernandez Castro. Castro’s parents said that they last saw her leaving the family’s home in Concord on Saturday, January 31. Her parents told investigators that she’d said she could be hanging out […]
The obituary went on to state that Wendel “loved animals” and “spent a fantastic deal of time attempting to persuade her grandma that they need to adopt lizards, frogs, and another little creature that caught her eye.”
Wendel played volleyball and basketball starting in junior high.
“She made friends easily, her closest friend being Aaliyah. McKenna and Aaliyah loved their sleepovers, spending time making dance videos, listening to music, and watching the sunset,” the obituary continued. “McKenna’s friends adored her quick wit, her encouraging words, and her ability to light up even the quietest of rooms.”
A GoFundMe page has also been arrange to assist Wendel’s family pay for funeral expenses.