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Missing Gas City 10-Year-Old's Death Ruled A Homicide

CHICAGO (CBS) -- After 10-year-old Gas City, Indiana, girl Skylea Carmack was found dead in a shed behind her home Wednesday, her death has been ruled a homicide.

Skylea Carmack
Skylea Carmack, 10, was found dead inside a plastic trash bag in a shed behind her home in Gas City, Indiana, four days after she was reported missing. Her stepmother has been charged with her murder. (Source: Indiana State Police)

Following an autopsy, the cause of Skylea's death has been ruled asphyxia by strangulation, according to Indiana State Police.

Skylea's body was found in a plastic trash bag Wednesday.

Her stepmother, Amanda Carmack, 34, was arrested in connection with Skylea's homicide and is charged with murder, neglect of a dependent resulting in death, domestic batter resulting in death and strangulation.

Amanda Carmack
Amanda Carmack, 34, has been charged in connection with the death of 10-year-old Skylea Carmack. (Credit: Grant County Jail)

The four-day search for Skylea began when her parents reported her missing to the Gas City Police Department.

Indiana State Police Sgt. Tony Slocum said Amanda Carmack is the only person suspected in Skylea's death. He said Skylea's stepmother had reported her missing and had claimed she didn't know where she had gone.

Carmack is being held in the Grant County Jail.

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