News 14 Carolina in cooperation with the Cue Center for Missing Persons in Wilmington, is taking a closer look at some unsolved missing persons cases around our state.

Family continues search for missing son

Dedrick Smith, 26, disappeared from Winston-Salem in October 2006. Smith suffers from a mental illness and is in need of medication. Police and family continue to search for answers in his case.

After 10 years, daughter still searching for missing mom

Ten years have passed since Pamela Bradshaw disappeared from Wilmington. Now her only child is back in town handing out fliers and meeting with the investigators on the case.

3 cases of missing North Carolina men still unsolved

Missing children often dominate headlines. But across North Carolina, there are hundreds of adults who disappear, leaving family members distraught and with many questions.

Cue Center conference wraps up with candlelight ceremony

Family and friends lit candles Saturday night in honor of murder victims and those still missing. The candlelight service wrapped up the Cue Center’s annual conference this weekend.

Forensic artist gives new hope to 1978 missing child case

After 31 years of not knowing, Donna Green could be a step closer to finding her missing child, all because of a chance meeting with world renowned forensic artist Diana Trepkov.

911 call changes direction of missing woman investigation

At first, investigators thought Shonda Stansbury, a woman who went missing in 2006, may have left on her own, but a 911 call a few days later told a different story.

Friends hope new information will lead to justice

Debbie Key disappeared from a Carrboro bar in 1997. Authorities believe she was murdered, but her body was never found. A man even confessed to killing her, but that admission was thrown out, leaving friends and family wondering if justice will ever be served.

Missing Since: 09/29/02
Missing from: Whiteville, North Carolina
Classification: Endangered Missing
Date Of Birth: 08/24/98
Age at disappearance: 4
Height: 3’10″
Weight: 90 lbs.
Hair Color: Brown/Black
Eye Color: Brown
Race: Black
Gender: Female
Distinguishing Characteristics: Light complexion. Pierced ears.
Birthmark on her arm in the shape of a seashell. Her hair was styled
in small braids tied with small bows and/or barrettes.
Clothing: Gray FUBU t-shirt, blue jeans, white socks and black
sneakers.

Details of Disappearance
Kynande was reportedly last seen by her mother, Vartasha “Tasha” McCullough, at a K-Mart department store at 5:00 p.m. They resided in Conway, South Carolina and were visiting Kynande’s uncle in Whiteville, North Carolina that day. At first McCullough claimed Kynande disappeared in an aisle of the store, but she later changed her story and said she walked into the store and thought Kynande was behind her, but turned around and she was gone.
Nobody remembered seeing the child with her mother in K-Mart that day. Investigators claim that there is no evidence that Kynande was even in the state at the time. No one other than Kynande’s parents saw her in the two days before she was reported missing. Authorities later discovered biological evidence in McCullough’s apartment that suggested a physical assault had taken place. The evidence was matched through DNA to Kynande.

Kynande’s parents (pictured below) were both arrested in February 2003 and charged with homicide by child abuse in connection with their daughter’s case. On October 6, 2005, the charges against Kevin Bennett were dropped due to lack of sufficient evidence. McCullough will stand trial beginning February 6, 2006. On February 10, 2006, Vartasha McCullough was convicted of homicide by child abuse – specifically, knowingly aiding and abetting, unlawful neglect of a child and inflicting great bodily harm on a child. The judge sentenced her to 20 years in prison.

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Age Progession to age 6 years old

Investigating Agency
If you have any information concerning this case, please contact:
Whiteville Police Department
(910) 640-1428

If you have any information on this case please contact CUE Center For Missing Persons using the contact form below or contact Cue Center at (910) 343-1131   24 hour tipline (910) 232-1687.

All information submitted to CUE Center For Missing Persons is confidential.

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