EAST POINT, Ga. — Police say the parents of a murdered teen were distraught when they came forward to identify her nearly two months after her body was discovered.
The parents learned it was their daughter after a family friend brought this case to their attention.
Police distributed a sketch and others for nearly two months in hopes someone would identify the teen found dead. Finally, someone did.
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“My heart goes out to the parents. Oh my goodness gracious,” neighbor Annie Mozee said.
While some people who live in East Point are elated police have finally identified the teen found murdered nearly two months ago,
others wonder what took so long for the girl’s parents to come forward.
“That don’t sound right because February to April and you’re just coming forward now saying that’s your child?” said East Point resident L.G. Davis.
It was Feb. 12 when someone found the teen’s badly beaten body on this side of a vacant home on Ben Hill Road.
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Police had been trying to identify the 16-year-old since.
Then Friday, they say a friend of the girl’s metro area parents told them about the sketch.
That’s when the parents came forward.
“Right now, they are requesting privacy at this time and that her name not be released,” said Det. Lakeisha Watts with the East Point Police Department:
Watts said the parents may not watch the news and missed all the coverage.
Davis understands that. He wants to know what efforts the parents put forth to find their child.
“Sixteen years old, you’re going to be looking for your child,” Davis said.
A police source said the girl was a frequent runaway.
Police are thankful the sketches helped identify her.
Now they are focused on finding her killer.
“I hope they do find them. We don’t have that much crime in East Point,” Mozee said.
Anyone who has information is asked to call investigators at 404-559-6300.
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