Woman sentenced to life in prison for murdering stepdaughter, hiding body in trash bag
MARION, Ind. (WISH) — A 36-year-old woman was sentenced Wednesday to life in prison for murdering her 10-year-old stepdaughter in 2019 and hiding her body in a trash bag.
A jury last month convicted Amanda Carmack, of Gas City, for murder, neglect of a dependent resulting in death, domestic battery of a person younger than 14, and strangulation. The jury also ruled Carmack should be imprisoned without a chance for parole.
A Silver Alert was issued Sept. 1, 2019, for the girl, Skylea Carmack. Police believe Skylea was killed by strangulation between 4:30 p.m. and 6 p.m. Aug. 31, 2019. Her body was found about 3 a.m. Sept. 4, 2019, in a trash bag behind a shed at the Carmack home in Gas City. The community had formed search parties to find the girl.
Skylea likely had died a day earlier after arguing over a stolen charm bracelet with her stepmother, police said.
According to court documents, Amanda told investigators that she discovered Skylea had stolen a charm bracelet from one of the kids, then searched her bedroom and found the bracelet. She then said Skylea didn’t come down for dinner and that she couldn’t find her. Amanda later failed a polygraph test by the Grant County Sheriff’s Office.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
