Advertisement Missing woman’s body found in her towed car; family releases statement Kelly Kenney reported missing Feb. 28 Share Shares Copy Link Copy

The body of a woman who was reported missing Feb. 17 was found Monday after her car was towed away as an abandoned vehicle. Police said Kelly Kenney, 23, was last seen at the Recovery Room Tavern on King Street in downtown Charleston, but her cellphone last pinged off Highway 17 near Shem Creek. The investigation started on March 2 after officers responded to Kenney's apartment multiple times for a welfare check. Kelly's mother had contacted the Hanahan Police Department and requested that they contact her daughter since she hadn’t been able to reach her since Feb. 17. Kenney's Subaru Impreza was found Friday at an apartment complex on Stall Road, Hanahan Deputy police Chief Michael Fowler said. Fowler said the car was towed as an abandoned car. Fowler said the apartment complex manager later saw the news about Kenney's disappearance, recognized the license tag, “SQRRLS,” and told police where the car had been towed. Police got a warrant to search the car and found Kenney on Monday dead in the back seat, Fowler said. The State Law Enforcement Division was called to investigate the death, which is typical procedure in a case involving multiple jurisdictions. Fowler said an autopsy was being performed Tuesday to determine Kenney’s cause of death. Lori Kenney, Kelly's mother posted on Monday on her Facebook page: "With profound sadness and grief, I want to let everyone know that my beautiful girl is no longer with us. Kelly was and always will be my daughter. She was and always will be a sister. She was and always will be a granddaughter. She was and always will be a loyal friend. Kelly lit up a room when she entered and left it hollow as she left. And the moments in between were filled with laughter, love, and that unforgettable smile. My darling girl I will miss you with each breath I take and I will love you every day until I see you again." Kenney's family released a statement on Tuesday: “Kelly was a beautiful young lady. She was a daughter, a sister, and a granddaughter. Kelly was an aspiring chef and had moved to Charleston to pursue her dream. Kelly was recently diagnosed as Bipolar and had entered sobriety. She had been embraced by the Greater Charleston AA community and their assistance in trying to find our girl was immeasurable. We would like to thank everyone who shared our Facebook posts and who searched for her. A special thanks to the Hanahan Police Dept and SLED for their continuing support and investigation. Kelly is a light who shone brightly and our world is darker. -Her loving family, Lori Kenney, James Kenney, Katie, Carl and Casey Kenney” To get breaking news alerts on your phone download the WYFF 4 app here.