Teen texted mom on way home, then vanished. Remains found months later, GA cops say
UPDATE: A Georgia police officer has been charged in connection with the death of 16-year-old Susana Morales, Gwinnett County police confirmed.
Original story continues below.
A 16-year-old girl who vanished on her way home last summer is now confirmed dead after her remains were found in the Georgia woods, according to police.
Susana Morales texted her mom around 9:40 p.m. on July 26, 2022, saying she was headed home, police in Gwinnett County said. But she never arrived and wasn’t seen for months.
On Monday, Feb. 6, a passerby called police after spotting what looked like human remains in the woods near Highway 316, according to a news release. Crime scene investigators responded and took possession of the remains, which were identified as Morales’s on Feb. 8.
Before her disappearance, police said the teen’s phone and surveillance video showed her walking in the direction of her home in Norcross. At some point, authorities believe she may have gotten into a car.
“Morales’s cell phone continued to show being in the area of Oak Loch Trace until the cell phone died or was turned off,” the release states.
Authorities are investigating the cause and manner of Morales’s death.
Anyone with information on the case is asked to contact Gwinnett County police detectives at 770-513-5300, or submit an anonymous tip at www.stopcrimeatl.com.
This story was originally published February 9, 2023 at 7:07 AM with the headline "Teen texted mom on way home, then vanished. Remains found months later, GA cops say."