Two ‘runaway’ teenage girls found dead in Arizona water basin days after they were reported missing
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Mystery as two ‘runaway’ teens are found dead in a pond in Arizona days after they were reported missing from a nearby home for troubled youth
- The bodies of Sitlalli Avelar, 17, and Kamryn Meyers, 15, were found in Mesa
- They had been missing for two weeks and the cause of death is still unknown.
Two teenage girls were found dead in a pond in Arizona days after they were reported missing from a nearby home for troubled youth in a mystery gripping the US.
The bodies of Sitlalli Avelar, 17, and Kamryn Meyers, 15, were found in Mesa, Arizona, east of Phoenix, by a dog walker on Saturday.
Both had disappeared from Powerhouse Youth Facility Inc, a group home for troubled teens not far from where their bodies were discovered, on January 7.
The dog walker who called police told them he thought one of the bodies was a mannequin, officers said. The second girl was found dead 10 feet away.
The bodies of Sitlalli Avelar, 17, and Kamryn Meyers, 15, (pictured) were found in Mesa, Arizona, east of Phoenix, by a dog walker on Saturday.
A dog walker who called police told them he thought one of the bodies was a mannequin, officers said. The second girl was found dead 10 feet away.
The bodies were recovered by police around 6:00 p.m. Saturday. Both bodies appear to have been in the water for some time, police said.
Mesa police said the medical examiner will determine the cause of death. It is not clear if any foul play was involved.
Officers are now investigating the mysterious deaths and have told local news outlets that they are determined to find out what happened.
Powerhouse Youth Facility Inc attorney Brad Miller told local outlet AZFamily that Avelar and Meyers had a history of running away from group homes and were overheard talking about leaving Powerhouse on Jan. 6.
He said staff members tried to convince them to stay, but they left the next day and were reported missing.
Miller told the local publication that staff acted in accordance with procedures, notifying local police and the Arizona Department of Child Safety.
The teens had disappeared from Powerhouse Youth Facility Inc, a group home for troubled teens in Mesa, not far from where their bodies were discovered, on Jan. 7.
Staff met with police again on January 10.
Miller said the facility is licensed by the state of Arizona and cannot legally force anyone to stay.
Cathy Catalfo, who lives in the area, said there has recently been an increase in police activity in connection with the house.
“There has been a lot of traffic in general, a lot of police have arrived in the last few weeks,” he told the publication.
‘I guess the first thing that comes to mind is who talked you into leaving. What made you leave a safe environment?
Les Nemeth told ABC15 that the basin is only a few feet from where he golfs several times a month.
‘It is very sad. People no longer have any respect or value for life,” she said, noting that the girls’ deaths have shocked the area.
Nemeth said, “Things like this happen everywhere, but I mean, I guess you don’t imagine it’s going to happen here.”
Mesa Police Detective Richard Encinas told Fox10: ‘We take any case like this very seriously.
‘What happened? I mean, that’s our number one goal, to find out what happened.
Encinas said detectives have been working “non-stop” on the case.