Mother's Boyfriend 29-Yrs, 'Killed 3-Yrs-Old Girl With A Kick To The Head For Getting Out Of Her Car Seat Then Dumbed Her Body In The Woods

A man by name Cory Hagwell has been charged with murder after his girlfriend Destinee Merrell told the authorities that the 29-yrs-old kicked her three-yrs-old daughter Adelynn Merrell in the head, Killing the toddler, as punishment for getting out of her car seat.

An autopsy has revealed that Adelynn whose body was found in the wooded area in Crestview last week, died from a skull fracture to the back of the head caused by blunt force trauma.

Detinee Merrell, 23-yrs-old, Adelynn's mother has been charged with accessory after the fact to murder, aggravated child abuse and three counts of child neglect.

Deputies were called to 4700 Bobolink way in Crestview on Friday after Adelynn Merrell was reported missing by her mother and the mother's live-in boyfriend.

Merrell and Hagwell said they had last seen the three-yrs-old playing in the backyard and believed she had been kidnapped.

According to a press release from the sheriff's office, amidst an intense search the missing girls, deputies were stuck by how calm and unemotional Destinee Merrell appeared.

As they continued to talk to her, the mother of three eventually confessed that Hagwell had kicked Adelynn in the head and locked her in a closet, then carried the child's lifeless body to the woods.

After  she was transported to the Okaloosa Country jail, Merrell revealed under questioning that the incident took place at 6.30am, but she did not check on Adelynn until around 11.30am, but which point she toddler had died.

An hour later, the couple called 911 with a bogus child abduction story, according to the authorities. in the stories, Both couple have been giving conflicts stories of what happened.

Another child in the home, presumably one of Adelynn's brothers, said he saw Hagwell kick the 3-yrs old while she was playing and he heard Merrell says, 'Stop' Cory.

The boy says he also saw the little girl in a bedroom closet on the floor and not talking and never saw or heart her again.