6-year-old Gracelynn Vick was reported missing on April 13, when her family could not find her for hours after she went to play in their farm’s yard.
After an extensive 6-hour search operation, her body was found inside a 58-gallon barrel used for livestock.
Deputies believe Gracelynn climbed into the bin and shut the lid from the inside – accidentally trapping herself.
Police said the combination of a lack of oxygen and heat stress resulted in her death.
At a press conference on Thursday, sheriffs compared the circumstances to being trapped in a sweltering car.
Police explained they were able to find Gracelynn’s body using evidence from home security cameras.
Investigators do not believe there was any foul play involved and a final report on the child’s cause of death will be released in the upcoming months, KWTX reported.
‘Victoria has a large family that loves and misses her dearly. She spent many days on her grandmother’s farm riding the lawnmower through the pines playing with cousins,’ according to her obituary. ‘She loved animals and had a snarky sense of humor. She relished being a sister to her siblings and was very protective of them.’
Gracelynn’s mother, Vickie Lynn Wedgeworth, has now lost 3 of her children.
Gracelynn’s half-brother Larry Hart, 17, died on July 2, 2021. The teen had been battling a pre-existing health condition, but his cause of death is unclear.
Victoria Lee Hutcherson, Gracelynn’s 13-year-old half-sister, died on March 14, 2024 in a car accident in Harrison County, Mississippi. The minivan she was a passenger in was struck by a dump truck on a highway. The driver of the van, John Potts, 68, also died from his injuries, according to WLBT.
In addition to the loss of her 3 children, Wedgeworth’s fiancé passed away on August 11, 2024, just months after Victoria.
Robert ‘Bo’ Matula ‘loved lawncare, landscaping, carpentry and working the small farm he shared with Vickie and Gracelynn, Gracelynn’s Heritage Farm,’ the obituary states.
