‘I knew she needed some kind of help’: Dollar General employee speaks out about neglected 14-year-old living alone

Video above: ‘News 5 Now’ — Top Stories from Jan. 8, 2026 UPDATE (6 p.m.): News 5 is hearing from the Dollar General employee whose 911 call led deputies to uncover months of neglect involving a 14-year-old girl. Jessica Smitherman says she called for help after seeing the girl stumbling outside the store. “She looked […]