She was killed in Florida, and her Kansas family mourns

Francisco Merrell, of Ellsworth, headed to Florida this week to pick up his two sons after his 2-year-old daughter was found dead in Florida. Now, the family is accepting donations at several banks in Kansas.

Adelynn Merrell, a Salina native, was found in a wooded area in Crestview, Florida, according to a post by Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office. She had been living with her mother, Destinee Merrell, and her mom’s boyfriend, Cory Hagwell.

In the post, the department said that Hagwell, 29, had kicked Adelynn in her head and locked her in the master bedroom closet because she got out of her car seat. Investigators said Destinee Merrell, 23, took part in locking Adelynn in the closet.

The incident is alleged to have occurred the evening of Nov. 9, and a deputy found the girl’s body after Destinee Merrell and Hagwell reported she was missing, the Salina Journal reports.

An autopsy determined that Adelynn died from a skull fracture to the back of the head caused by blunt-force trauma, ABC 10 reported.

Adelynn and her brothers had been taken to Florida by Destinee Merrell without their father’s consent, the children’s aunt, Tynisha Merrell, told the Salina Journal.

Tynisha Merrell told the Salina Journal in a message that “these precious children are and always have been very much loved by their father and family.”

Hagwell has been booked with suspicion of first-degree murder and aggravated child abuse, the department posted, and Merrell has been booked with suspicion of accessory, after-the-fact to murder, aggravated child abuse and three counts of child neglect.

The sheriff’s office said one of Adelynn’s brothers was taken to the hospital for a wellness exam, and the 5-year-old suffers from malnutrition. He weighs less than 33 pounds with “bones in all regions of his body exposed.”

Donations to the family are being accepted and can be made in the name of Adrian, Adelynn and Benjamin Merrell at the Bank of Tescott, KSN reported.

The Salina Journal said donations will be accepted at all five Bank of Tescott locations, which includes Salina, Lindsborg, Tescott and Lincoln.

“Even though this is a tragedy, it is also important to only focus on spreading love and joy, remembering all of the precious memories we have of our loved ones who have passed, instead of focusing on the negative because there is too much hatred in the world,” Tynisha Merrill wrote to the Salina Journal. “We absolutely do not want you to focus on what happened, but to instead remember her beautiful face and know that even though she is not here on earth with us, she will always be here with us in spirit.”

This story was originally published November 17, 2017 at 2:04 PM with the headline "She was killed in Florida, and her Kansas family mourns."