New York, Aug 17 (IANS): Veteran actor Morgan Freeman's step-granddaughter E'Dena Hines was found lying outside her home here in the early hours of Sunday morning, the police said.

The 33-year-old, who is the granddaughter of Freeman's first wife Jeanette Adair Bradshaw, suffered multiple stab wounds. She was taken to Harlem Hospital here and pronounced dead, reports femalefirst.co.uk.

The New York Police Department has confirmed a 30-year-old man has been taken into custody after being found at the scene.

In 2012, the 78-year-old Oscar winner was forced to deny he was in a romantic relationship with E'Dena, following claims they had been seeing each other for 10 years.

"The recent reports of any pending marriage or romantic relationship of me to anyone are defamatory fabrications," Morgan had said at that time.

E'Dena also commented on the controversy, saying: "These stories about me and my grandfather are not only untrue, they are also hurtful to me and my family."

Freeman was married to E'Dena's grandmother Jeanette until 1979. He later married second wife Myrna Colley-Lee in 1984, but the pair split in 2010.