HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — The Houston Police Department has released images of two men identified as persons of interest in the investigation of a 12-year-old girl’s death.
The young girl, whose body was found in a creek off West Rankin Road near the North Freeway, had been missing since Sunday night.
Authorities believe the girl snuck out of her home around 10 p.m. Her mother last saw her when she went to bed. Find the sources abc13
On Tuesday, Houston Mayor John Whitmire revealed that the girl had been on the phone with her 13-year-old boyfriend at a convenience store around midnight. The boyfriend reported hearing her talk to two adults before the call ended.
The girl’s body was discovered by Billie Jackson on Monday morning. Jackson was driving home after dropping her husband off at work when she noticed what she initially thought was a mannequin in the creek.
Upon closer inspection, she realized it was a person and immediately called 911.
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The Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences has not yet identified the victim but has confirmed that her cause of death was strangulation.
Jackson expressed her heartbreak, saying, “Finding out she was 12 devastated me. I have a 12-year-old granddaughter.”
Houston police have posted surveillance photos of the two men on social media, hoping the public can help identify them. Authorities urge anyone with information to contact Crime Stoppers of Houston at 713-222-TIPS (8477).
As the investigation continues, the community mourns the tragic loss and hopes for swift justice for the young girl.