Maryland Teen’s Skeletal Remains Found, Police Investigate Case As Homicide

According to Prince George's County Police, the body of missing teen Rosa Diaz-Santos was found in Takoma Park, Maryland.

The 17-year-old of Greenbelt, Maryland, was last seen on Sept. 22 morning while she was on her way to Eleanor Roosevelt High School, reported Fox 5 Washington DC.

Greenbelt police had reported her as missing on Oct. 11, and tweeted that the department’s Criminal Investigative Unit was investigating a "missing juvenile identified as 17-year-old Rosa Maria Diaz-Santos." On Nov. 22, they shared and update and wrote that detectives "are working to identify and arrest the suspect(s) who killed" the teen.

Police said that her remains were found on Nov. 15 in a wooded area of the 1600 block of Drexel Street in Takoma Park, and an autopsy ruled the manner of death a homicide. Authorities also haven’t speculated on a potential motive in the girl's killing, reported Yahoo!

Her parents had previously said that their daughter had recently become involved with a local gang. She had been spending days away from the family house. Her mother said that the girl purportedly warned her about her demise. Recalling the conversation, Diaz-Santos' mother said that her daughter apologized to her, and asked her to forgive her for "making you suffer, for everything I’ve done to you." When her mom asked why and what was wrong. Her daughter said, "Don’t cry when you find me dead somewhere."

Police have urged the public to come forward with any tips, and anyone with additional information related to her has been asked to contact homicide detectives at the Prince George County Police Department.

Dr. Portia Barnes, the principal at Eleanor Roosevelt High School, sent home a letter to the families last week. It read that the ninth-grade student at Eleanor Roosevelt High School had died. She wrote that for those of "you who knew Rosa, we ask that you remember and celebrate her life. For those of you who did not know Rosa, we ask that you respect our sadness and support us with your understanding." She further wrote that it was very difficult for all of them to "face the death of a young person."

She shared that a support team of school psychologists as well as professional school counselors, their pupil personnel worker, from Prince George’s County Public Schools will join their staff to "provide counseling and support to students." Barnes noted that counseling would continue to be available to students as long as necessary, and that they will provide the "students with support."