A massive 25-hour search for a missing 9-year-old girl ended in tragedy Saturday evening when authorities discovered her body in a pond near her home. Jenny Din, who was autistic and non-verbal, had been the subject of a multi-agency manhunt and a statewide emergency alert since Friday afternoon.
The Boone County Sheriff’s Office (BCSO) confirmed that the Hamilton County Underwater Search and Recovery Unit recovered Din’s body at approximately 7:30 p.m. local time on March 14. The discovery took place in a body of water within the search perimeter, just blocks from where she was last seen.
The Search and Recovery Operation
The recovery concludes an intensive operation that spanned approximately four square miles and involved specialized dive teams, drones, and hundreds of community volunteers.
According to BCSO officials, the search was complicated by the geography of the area, which includes several bodies of water. BCSO Lt. Anthony Theetge described the treacherous conditions faced by dive teams, noting that the water was “very dark” with nearly zero visibility.
“There is practically no sight, depending on how deep the water is,” Theetge stated. “A lot of times, [divers] are just guiding themselves by feel.”
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(527x763:529x765):format(webp)/Jenny-Din-Boone-County-Sheriffs-Office-031426-2-f4e9d9e6a09c4dfe89449ea91f8b3ff6.jpg)
Timeline of Disappearance
The timeline of events highlights the rapid escalation of the search:
- Friday, March 13, 5:00 p.m.: Jenny Din is last seen walking on MacIntosh Lane in Florence. Reports indicate she walked out of her home without shoes.
- Friday Evening: The Kentucky State Police (KSP) issue an IAN Alert, a specialized emergency notification system established in July 2025 for missing children with autism or mental illness.
- Saturday, March 14, 7:30 p.m.: Search and recovery units locate Din’s body in a nearby pond.
“Tragically, this is not the outcome we had hoped for,” the Kentucky State Police said in a statement. “We thank all the first responders, the public, and the media for all their effort during this investigation.”
Investigative Next Steps
While the physical search has concluded, a criminal investigation is now underway. The case has been formally transferred to the BCSO Criminal Investigations Division.
Authorities have not yet released a preliminary cause of death. An autopsy is scheduled to be performed to determine the exact circumstances leading to the child’s passing. While the discovery in a pond suggests a possible accidental drowning—a high-risk factor for children with autism who are drawn to water—investigators are currently treating the site as a scene of active inquiry.
Call for Public Assistance
The Boone County Sheriff’s Office is appealing to the public for any information that may assist in the timeline of the investigation.
- Contact: Anyone with information regarding Jenny Din’s disappearance or the events leading up to it is urged to contact the Boone County non-emergency line.
The community of Florence remains in mourning as local authorities continue to piece together how the nine-year-old was able to leave her residence and travel to the recovery site undetected.
