Missing girl strangled

PIERCETON, Ind. (WANE) - The Whitley County coroner ruled the death of a missing 14-year-old girl a homicide Saturday afternoon.

An autopsy showed Kaylin Doggendorf was strangled to death.

According to the Whitley County Sheriff, the presumed body of Doggendorf was found Friday evening and Joshua Wright, 17, has been arrested and will be charged in her death.

The body was discovered just inside Kosciusko County, less than a mile from her home.

The Pierceton resident was last seen by her parents around 10:30 Wednesday evening. Her mom discovered she was missing Thursday morning at 6, when she went to wake her for school.

"We had officers out fairly late last evening," said Whitley County Sheriff Mark Hodges.

It's not clear what might have led to her disappearance.

"We know she was up talking with a boy for several hours, up until about two in the morning and had been texting somebody," Jason Doggendorf, the girl's father, said.

The girl went missing without her cell phone or other personal items, but she did take her lime green comforter with her.

Wright is being held in the Whitley County Jail. An initial hearing is expected for early next week.