Little Gracelyn Vick, a 6-year-old girl from Saucier, Mississippi, tragically disappeared on Sunday afternoon. According to her family, Gracelyn went outside around noon to play in the yard but never returned. As the hours passed with no sign of her, the family contacted the authorities. The Harrison County Sheriff’s Office launched a large search effort that lasted about six hours, joined by nearby law enforcement agencies, Gulf Coast Search and Rescue, helicopters, drones, and roughly 40 local volunteers.

Deputies eventually cordoned off part of the family’s property, including areas with a swing set and livestock. Crime scene technicians worked late into the evening, carefully documenting the scene and gathering evidence. Gracelyn’s body was removed from the property around 8 p.m., as reported by WLOX.

On Monday, Sheriff Matt Haley addressed the many rumors circulating online. He confirmed that Gracelyn’s body was found near her home, but no one has been arrested so far. “It’s too early to determine if foul play is involved,” Haley said, adding that the investigation is ongoing. An autopsy is scheduled at the state crime lab in Biloxi to help establish the cause of her death.

Support has poured in for Gracelyn’s grieving family through social media. At Saucier Elementary, grief counselors are helping students cope with the heartbreaking loss. This marks the third tragedy for Gracelyn’s mother, Vicky Lynn Hutcherson, who also lost two other children: 13-year-old Victoria in a 2024 car crash and 18-year-old Larry in 2021 due to a medical condition. Please keep this devastated family in your thoughts.