Little Gracelyn Vick disappeared from Saucier on Sunday afternoon.
At noon, according to her relatives, she went out to play in the yard, but she never came back.
There are a lot of rumors circulating online.
When hours passed and she was nowhere to be found, her family alerted the police. The Harrison County Sheriff’s Office in Mississippi carried out an urgent search for around six hours.
About 40 volunteers, helicopters, drones, Gulf Coast hunt & Rescue, and local law enforcement agencies joined the hunt for Gracelynn.
Sadly, later that day, her body was discovered near the family’s home.
No one has been arrested yet.
Among the portions of the family’s property that deputies closed off were a swing set and places used for cattle husbandry. Crime scene investigators labored long into the night to document the scene and gather evidence.
Around 8:00 p.m., Gracelyn’s body was taken from the premises, according to WLOX.
On Monday, Harrison County Sheriff Matt Haley addressed one of the numerous online rumors regarding the investigation. According to a family member, 6-year-old Gracelynn Vick’s body was discovered near her Saucier residence.
“No one has been arrested yet, and it’s too early to tell if foul play is involved in this case,” Haley said. “This inquiry is still in progress.”
In order to determine Gracelyn’s cause of death, an autopsy is planned for Monday at the state crime lab in Biloxi, according to The Clarion-Ledger.
Since Gracelynn Vick’s tragic death, tributes have been pouring in on social media for her family.
The third loss for the mother
Saucier Elementary has recruited grief counselors to help students deal with the tragic loss of a small classmate.
Vicky Lynn (Wedgeworth) Hutcherson, Gracelynn’s mother, has lost three children in recent years, and the grief is almost intolerable for her, according to Sun Herald.
Just last year, in March 2024, Gracelynn’s 13-year-old stepsister, Victoria Hutcherson, died in a terrible crash on U.S. 49. Authorities said she was a passenger in a minivan that was trying to cross four lanes of traffic when it collided with a dump truck. Victoria, an eighth grader at West Wortham Elementary School, was remembered by family as a protective older sister.
And the family experienced more grief in July 2021 when Gracelynn’s brother, 18-year-old Larry Hart, died of a medical condition, according to his obituary.
The narrative is painful to read. I hope you rest in peace, little Gracelynn. Hopefully, the police will be given the space they require to conduct a thorough and discreet investigation into the occurrence.
