Missing 9-year-old girl found dead in Missouri sinkhole

[Wayne Harrison]

OZARK, Mo. -- A 9-year-old southwest Missouri girl missing for a week was found dead Friday in a sinkhole in eastern McDonald County, a law enforcement official said.

The source, who spoke on condition of anonymity because authorities had not yet made an official announcement, said the body of Rowan Ford was found on private land near Powell, about 10 miles south of the girl's hometown of Stella, a village of about 200 people.

<a href="http://www.kctv5.com/news/14511488/detail.html">via KCTV5.com</a>

[Ernie Coffman]

The girl's step-dad was taken into custody a little while ago. Considering he and his buddy were the last to see the girl, that's understandable. The time frame from when the girl was last seen was very suspicious right from the get-go. Really a sad thing...and feel sorry for the girl's mother.