Body Of 7-Year-Old Girl Found Mere Minutes After Reported Missing: Community In Shock As Police Rule Death A Homicide

On Saturday night, during a football match taking place at Allen County Scottsville High School in Kentucky, a 7-year-old girl was reported missing by her mother. Gabriella Doolin reportedly vanished from the high school game, and after being unable to find her, her mother called the police and reported her missing. An immediate response by the authorities led to the location of Gabriella’s body just minutes later in a creek. On Sunday, it was declared that the case was a homicide, and police are hunting for her killer.

Gabriella Doolin’s mother reported her missing at 7:40 p.m. and a search of the wooded area behind the high school turned up the body of the 7-year-old- girl 20 minutes later at 8:05 p.m. on Saturday. The police had interviewed witnesses and reportedly followed a tip that led them to the body’s location in the creek. Thus far, the exact cause of death is not known, but an autopsy performed by the medical examiner’s office in Louisville confirmed that the death of the young girls is a homicide. No further details have been released at this time.

Bowling Green Daily News reported that a vigil was held on Sunday in support of the Doolin family after the tragic death of their only daughter. Hundreds of well-wishers and supporters attended the candlelight prayer vigil, which also included a pink balloon release and a moment of silence. A number of persons spoke at the vigil for Gabriella and maintained that the whole community is with them in this time of grief as well as encouraging the family to seek solace in their faith. When interviewed, one Scottsville resident, Cathy Celsor, said that her children went to school with the Doolins’ children. Celsor is in as much grief and shock as the rest of the community and feels that the tragic and unexplained death of Gabriella has left the community broken. She, like the Doolins, is unable to fathom how such a horrific act could happen in Scottsville.

B.J. Eaton, a police spokesman, gave a brief statement in an interview about how the death of the 7-year-old will affect the community.

“This could happen anywhere, very quickly. I think it’s safe to say Allen County has changed forever.”

Whether or not the Doolins were known to the community of over 4,000 people, Gabriella’s death has rocked their core. The Scottsville Police Department took to their Facebook page to urge persons in the community to pray for the family during this difficult period following the homicide.

https://www.facebook.com/ScottsvillePoliceDepartment/photos/a.649481328415365.1073741832.636160223080809/1169137323116427/?type=3&permPage=1

During the vigil Brian Doolin, Gabriella’s father said the death of his child is unlike anything he has ever experienced and tearfully expressed that all he wants is to hold his baby girl again. He also later took to Facebook to thank everyone for their support.

“I want to thank everyone for every prayer, text, food, message, call, time, and donations… Thank you everyone that lit a candle for my precious baby… Now, I hope that justice prevails on this side, and I know it will in the after… I wish I could just hold her one more time!!”

In addition to the vigil, many people are stopping by the high school to pay their respects. Someone commented under the Facebook post made by the Scottsville Police Department that a GoFundMe account should be set up by the family to help with the funeral expenses.

The police currently do not have any suspects in custody. Unfortunately, they do not have any leads as to who killed the 7-year-old, though, according to Newser, a tip led them to searching a property in Allan County yesterday. The authorities stated that they will do everything in their power to catch anyone who was involved in the homicide death of Gabriella Doolin.

[Image via Brian Doolin Facebook]