The body of a nine-year-old girl who had been missing for nearly three months has been located, bringing a tragic turn to a case that had raised serious concern among educators, family members, and law enforcement. Authorities confirmed that the child’s remains were discovered in early December in Utah, in an area she had reportedly traveled through with her mother weeks before she was officially reported missing. According to information shared with ABC News, investigators believe the child may have died in early October, prior to any missing person report being filed. The discovery followed an extensive investigation that tracked the movements of the mother and daughter across several states during that time period.
Following the recovery of the remains, the child’s 40-year-old mother was detained after DNA testing confirmed the identity of the body. Video recorded by a neighbor showed deputies from the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office escorting the woman from her home in Lompoc, California, early Tuesday morning. She was placed in handcuffs and taken away without incident. While officials have not publicly confirmed whether the detention is directly tied to the child’s death, they stated that further information would be released during a scheduled press briefing later in the day. Neighbors reported that law enforcement forced entry into the home after receiving no response at the door.