ROWAN COUNTY, N.C. -- The Rowan County Sheriff's Office announced that Sandy and Casey Parsons will be charged with first degree murder, child abuse, felony concealment of death and felony obstruction of justice in the death of their adoptive child, Erica Parsons.

Sheriff Kevin Auten made the announcement on Tuesday morning. He said they will be charged once arrested.

After the autopsy of Erica Parsons was released in January, the next step was to take the case to the grand jury for possible new charges against her adoptive parents, Sandy and Casey Parsons. Sheriff Auten said that happened on Monday. 

It’s been nearly five years since Erica was reported missing to authorities by her adoptive brother, Jamie Parsons.

In 2016, Sandy Parsons led investigators to Erica’s grave in South Carolina. With her remains, investigators were finally able to move the case further.

Casey and Sandy Parsons are currently serving time for federal fraud charges for accepting adoption assistance checks while they said Erica was living with her paternal grandmother, Nan Goodman, whom authorities could never find.

Sandy Parsons is being held in a Michigan prison, and Casey is currently serving time in Florida.