BENNETTSVILLE, S.C. – A South Carolina man has been arrested and charged in the stabbing death of a Bennettsville woman and the disappearance of her 8-year-old daughter, who remains missing, authorities said Saturday.
The Marlboro County Sheriff's Office said in a statement that Jejuancey Fernando Harrington, 32, of Bennettsville, has been charged with murder in the death of Ella Lowery. The woman's body was found May 5 in the home she shared with her daughter, Iyana.
Harrington also has been charged with kidnapping in connection with the child's disappearance and with possession of a weapon during a violent crime, Sheriff Charles Lemon said.
The girl hasn't been seen since, despite a massive search by state police and the FBI. Lemon said the search is continuing and that finding the child remains the priority.
"We are keeping our focus on finding Iyana Lowery and bringing her home to her family," Lemon said in the statement released via the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, the state's top crime-fighting agency.
Lemon said a $10,000 reward was being offered for information leading to the recovery of the child.
It wasn't immediately known if Harrington had an attorney. He was being held at the Marlboro County Detention Center.
Lemon said the arrest constituted a "major break in the case" and added the investigation is continuing and "there is still much work to do." His statement didn't elaborate on whether the arrest led to any information about the whereabouts of the missing girl.
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