WHITLEY COUNTY, Ky. (ABC 36 NEWS NOW) — A Southern Kentucky couple charged in the death of a 4-year-old is set to appear in court this afternoon. According to court records, Adam Hayes and his girlfriend, Brittany Slaughter, face multiple charges, including murder, abuse of a corpse, tampering with physical evidence, and child abuse. Investigators said Hayes and Slaughter had custody of Slaughter’s niece, 4-year-old Chloe Darnell, when she was reported missing last year. The Whitley County Sheriff’s Office reports deputies found Darnell’s body buried near a cemetery in November 2023. Prosecutors are now seeking the death penalty for Hayes. Hayes and Slaughter are scheduled to appear in court today at 1 p.m. for an arraignment and pretrial conference. Categories: Featured, GMK, Local News, News Tags: adam hayes, Arraignment, brittany slaughter, child abuse, chloe darnell, Court, Kentucky, Murder, pretrial conference, whitley county