Well, now we know another reason you should not do this...

Basically she is SOL. There is no way you can get the claim to one of those agencies before DL takes it behind the "counter" At that point they are going to figure out that she didn't make the plane and start seeing if she made ANOTHER flight. When it comes out she didn't as others have said "all bets are off"

And as others have said her bag may get confiscated.

Now, if it were me I would try ONE thing. I would go to the gate agent in CVG and throw myself on thier mercy. I had to do this years ago on Delta and they did relent and dig out the luggage and not charge me the Y fare, but.... no gurantees. Things have gotten tighter since then.