Missing 8-year-old Girl’s Body Found in Marlboro County

Iyana Lowery is 4 feet 2 inches and about 100 pounds (WPDE)

McColl, S.C. (WPDE) — The body of Iyana Lowery, the 8-year-old girl who was first reported missing on May 5 after her mother was found dead at their Bennettsville home, has been found.

The body was found Sunday morning in a creek off Gum Swamp Road near New Bridge Road in McColl and the corner’s office confirmed that it was hers on Tuesday, according to a news release from the Marlboro County Sheriff’s Office.

Jejuancey Harrington, 32, was charged with the murder of Ella Lowery, 36, and the kidnapping of Iyana Lowery. As of Tuesday, he has also been charged with Iyana Lowery’s murder, as well as armed robbery.

According to an arrest warrant, DNA recovered from a cigarette at the home where Ella Lowery was killed matches that of the DNA profile of Harrington and DNA recovered in Harrington’s car matches that of Iyana Lowery.

Ella Lowery was laid to rest on Monday.

Police agencies from across the area, as well as the FBI, searched for Iyana Lowery for over a week and a reward was offered for information leading to her recovery.

The location where Iyana Lowery’s body was found is near where Jackie Hulon was found stabbed to death in 2005. Jejuancey Harrington was charged in Hulon’s killing, but was acquitted in 2007, according to a South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) background check and the Marlboro County public index.

In 2006, Harrington was convicted of resisting arrest. He was sentenced to 90 days in jail, but was given credit for time served.

In 2015, he was convicted of driving under suspension and drug possession. At that time, he was sentenced to time in jail and a fine.

In 2016, Harrington was convicted of misdemeanor speeding, driving under suspension, and open container.

We’ll continue to update this story as more information comes in.