A Mississippi mother is grieving the loss of her third child in four years after her six-year-old daughter was found dead in a barrel outside of her home.
Gracelynn Vick was reported missing on April 13 when her family could not find her for hours after she went to play in their Saucier farms yard.
After an extensive six-hour search operation, the young girls body was found inside a 58-gallon barrel used for livestock.
Harrison County Sheriff’s Department deputies believe Gracelynn climbed into the bin and shut the lid from the inside - accidentally trapping herself.
Police said the combination of a lack of oxygen and heat stress resulted in her freak-accident death.
At a press conference on Thursday, sheriffs compared the circumstances to being trapped in a sweltering car.
Police explained they were able to find Gracelynns body using evidence from home security cameras.
Investigators do not believe there was any foul play involved and a final report on the childs cause of death will be released in the upcoming months, KWTX reported.
Gracelynn Vick (pictured), 6, was found dead inside a barrel near her familys farm in Saucier, Mississippi
Gracelynns half-sister Victoria Lee Hutcherson died in a car crash last year (pictured: Victoria, left, and Gracelynn, right)
Vickie Lynn Wedgeworth lost her first child, 17-year-old Larry Hart, in 2021 (pictured: Vickie and Larry when he was younger)
She immersed herself in the wonders of childhood, embracing every moment with enthusiasm, Gracelynns obituary reads.
She loved playing outdoors barefoot, relishing the feeling of grass beneath her feet, climbing to new heights, and exploring the world around her.
Her love for animals, painting rocks, and splashing in the water painted a picture of a little girl who was as curious as she was creative.
A funeral service for the young girl was held on Monday.
Gracelynns gut-wrenching death comes after two of her older siblings passed away in separate instances.
In 2021, Gracelynns mother, Vickie Lynn Wedgeworth, suffered the first unimaginable loss of one of her children.
Larry Hart, 17, who was Gracelynns half-brother, died on July 2, 2021. The teen had been battling a pre-existing health condition, but his cause of death is unclear based on his obituary.
Wedgeworth experienced the second loss of a child three years later, when an unexpected tragedy struck.
Gracelynn (pictured) was reported missing on April 13 when her family could not find her for hours after she went to play in their Saucier farms yard
Both of Gracelynns older half-siblings died in the years before she did (pictured: Victoria Lee Hutcherson and Larry Hart)
Vickie Lynn Wedgeworth (pictured with Gracelynn and Victoria) addressed Gracelynns death through her sister, who spoke about it in a Facebook live stream
Victoria Lee Hutcherson, Gracelynns 13-year-old half-sister, died on March 14, 2024 in a car crash.
The minivan she was a passenger in was struck by a dump truck on a Harrison County, Mississippi highway.
The driver of the van, John Potts, 68, also died from his injuries, according to WLBT.
Victoria has a large family that loves and misses her dearly. She spent many days on her grandmother’s farm riding the lawnmower through the pines playing with cousins, according to her obituary.
She loved animals and had a snarky sense of humor. She relished being a sister to her siblings and was very protective of them.
In addition to the loss of her three children, Wedgeworth has also been left to grieve her fiancé, who passed away on August 11, 2024 - just months after Victoria - according to his obituary.
Robert Bo Matula was Wedgeworths high school sweetheart who loved lawncare, landscaping, carpentry and working the small farm he shared with Vickie and Gracelynn, Gracelynn’s Heritage Farm, the obituary states.
Wedgeworths sister, Jackie Polk, posted a Facebook live on Friday to address false speculation about Gracelynns heartbreaking death.
Vickie Lynn Wedgeworth (right) has lost her fiance Robert Bo Matula (second from right), her daughter Gracelynn (second from left) and her daughter Victoria Lee Hutcherson (left)
Gracelynn (pictured) was said to have loved playing outside, painting rocks and splashing around in the water
She also thanked investigators and everyone who helped find her body on behalf of her sister.
Gracelynn’s life, though fleeting, was a beautiful tapestry woven with love, adventure, and memories that will be treasured forever, Gracelynns obituary reads.
As we all come together to honor her memory, let us carry forward the joy she brought into our lives and remember to cherish the simple things, just as she did.