Booneville Couple Deeann Bennett, Charles Bennett Indicted in 2024 Infant Death

An Owsley County grand jury returned indictments on Jan. 22, 2026, charging Deeann Bennett, 27, and Charles Bennett, 32, of Booneville in connection with the death of an infant found near their Lewis Lane residence after a November 2024 call to emergency services. The Kentucky State Police investigation led to felony counts that include reckless homicide for both defendants; Deeann Bennett also faces tampering with physical evidence, abuse of a corpse, and concealing the birth of an infant.

Kentucky State Police troopers say their investigation began after a 911 call about a woman taken to an area hospital on Nov. 29, 2024. “KSP responded to a 911 call regarding a woman who had been taken to an area hospital reporting a possible miscarriage around 10:30 a.m. Nov. 29, 2024,” investigators said in agency statements reported to local authorities.

While at the hospital, investigators report the couple told staff the infant remained at the family home on Lewis Lane in Booneville. Troopers and detectives responded to the address and “investigators found an unresponsive infant over an embankment outside of the residence, KSP officials said.” The infant was pronounced dead by the Owsley County coroner and, per Kentucky Medical Examiner procedure, was transported to the Kentucky Medical Examiner’s Office in Frankfort for autopsy.

The indictment followed a long-running probe by the Kentucky State Police and local law enforcement. “They were indicted by the Owsley County Grand Jury on Jan. 22,” the grand jury filing notes, which led to arrest actions in February 2026. Multiple reports identify the Bennetts’ arrests as occurring on Feb. 9, 2026; one local report cites a Feb. 4 arrest date, a discrepancy noted in detention records and media captions for booking photographs.

Both Deeann and Charles Bennett are currently lodged at the Three Forks Regional Jail. “Both are currently being held in the Three Forks Regional Jail on a $50,000 bond,” court and detention records indicate. Booking photographs from the Three Forks Regional Detention Center were published alongside reporting in local outlets and appear in public jail records.

Court scheduling shows the Bennetts are awaiting arraignment; a preliminary court appearance is set for March 2 in Owsley County court dockets. The charges listed against Deeann Bennett - reckless homicide, tampering with physical evidence, abuse of a corpse, and concealing the birth of an infant - and against Charles Bennett - reckless homicide and concealing the birth of an infant - will move to arraignment and pretrial proceedings in the coming weeks.

The Kentucky State Police issued a news release outlining the initial response and investigative steps taken after the Nov. 29, 2024 911 call, and the Owsley County coroner’s office completed the scene pronouncement that led to transport of the infant to Frankfort for autopsy. Prosecutors and law enforcement in Owsley County continue to prepare for arraignment and any subsequent hearings related to the indictments.