Students honor slain Rowan County middle schooler by wearing purple

MOREHEAD, Ky. (ABC36 NEWS NOW) – Students and staff in Rowan County are wearing purple Monday in memory of 13-year-old Kennedi McWhorter, who was found murdered alongside her mother on Friday.

According to the Rowan County School District, the eighth grader was a student at the middle school and played softball through Parks and Recreation. Schools invited students and staff to wear purple to honor her life.

Kentucky State Police say McWhorter and her mother, 37-year-old Kayla Blake, were discovered dead inside their South Spring Street home Friday morning. Morehead police said a co-worker called authorities after Blake did not show up for work.

Investigators identified 44-year-old Joshua Cottrell as a suspect. He was arrested after being found receiving medical treatment at a Paducah hospital Friday afternoon. He is currently being held at the McCracken County Jail on a $1 million cash bond.

According to the jail, Cottrell is scheduled to appear in court on murder charges Wednesday.