Authorities in Okmulgee County, Oklahoma made a grim discovery while searching for two missing teenagers on Monday when they uncovered the bodies of seven people, two of whom were the teens being sought. This included the remains of convicted sex offender Jesse McFadden, who was last seen with the teens. The state medical examiner will have to confirm the identities of the victims.
The tragedy has shattered the small town of Henryetta, with the loss of 14-year-old Ivy Webster and 16-year-old Brittany Brewer being felt especially hard. Brewer had been selected to compete in the Miss National Miss pageant in Tulsa in July. Nathan Brewer, Brittany’s father, spoke at a vigil held in her honor, expressing the anguish of a parent losing a child. Henryetta Public Schools posted a heart-wrenching tribute on their website, recognizing their loss of several of their students and assuring families that mental health professionals and clergy were on hand to help counsel students.
The discovery in Okmulgee County follows the October finding of four men’s bodies in the Deep Fork River near the town of Okmulgee. Joseph Kennedy, 68, is being charged with four counts of first-degree murder in that case.
The unimaginable tragedy serves as a tragic reminder that honesty and awareness of our surroundings can make all the difference in preventing the cases of the missing from ever occurring.
