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A man has been charged with murder after authorities say a mother found her 17-year-old daughter dead inside an apartment in Union, South Carolina.
Union Public Safety Department (UPSD), officers responded Wednesday, September 23, 2026 around 7:41 a.m. EDT to an apartment on Chambers Avenue after a woman called 911 hysterical and reported finding her teenage daughter bleeding on the floor.
According to reports (.pdf), officers arrived at the apartment and could hear a woman yelling from inside the residence. Once officers were inside, they found 17-year-old Destiny Kennedy lying face down with blood on her body.
An arrest warrant (.pdf) states Kennedy had been strangled and stabbed in the neck, injuries authorities allege caused her death “with malice aforethought.”
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Union County EMS responded to the scene and evaluated Kennedy, who showed no signs of life.
Investigators then contacted the S.C. Law Enforcement Division (SLED) Child Fatality Unit and Crime Scene Unit to assist with the investigation.
As a result of the investigation, authorities arrested Dedrick Hay (43) and charged him with murder. He is currently detained at the Union County Detention Center (UCDC).
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Authorities have not released additional details about what investigators believe led to the killing or what connection, if any, existed between Kennedy and the man charged with her murder.
FITSNews reached out to the Union County Coroner’s Office (UCCO), which told us that an autopsy was completed on September 23, 2026 in Union County.
Union County High School issued a statement on Thursday following Kennedy’s death:
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This is still a developing story, stay tuned for updates.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR…
Troy Styles is a field correspondent for FITSNews. He is also the owner of Blunt Force Media.
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1 comment
This man should never see the light of day and should remain in prison for the rest of his life. He murdered a child and her family will live with this horror for the rest of their lives.