Missing South Carolina girl found alive in Virginia, father arrested for murder of mother

A missing 5-year-old South Carolina girl has been found alive in Virginia and her father has been arrested in the murder of her mother, a South Carolina sheriff’s office said.

Aspen Jeter was located safely around 12:40 p.m. on Friday in a hospital parking lot in Danville, Va., the Orangeburg County Sheriff’s Office said on Facebook.

Aspen’s father, 47-year-old Antar Jeter, was arrested by U.S. Marshals and Virginia authorities and charged with murdering Crystal Jeter, according to the sheriff’s office.

Crystal Jeter was found dead at home in rural South Carolina during a welfare check on Thanksgiving, the sheriff’s office said.

She was found to have sustained a gunshot wound to the upper body, Sheriff Leroy Ravenell said at a press conference, according to WCSC-TV.

The sheriff’s office said it was working to have the child returned to South Carolina.

“She’s safe,” said Justin Bamberg, a lawyer representing the girl’s family, according to WCSC. “Aspen will not become a ward of the state. We’re going to make sure that she’s with family.”

An investigation is ongoing.