The Arizona teen's mother was found in garbage bags on the side of the road, 18 days after she went missing, as she described her late daughter as “just a baby.”
Authorities discovered that 14-year-old Emily Pike was placed in the garbage bags of several large contractors and placed on the side of a dirt road just days before her birthday on February 14th. According to WCJB.
“She was just innocent… she was a baby,” Steph Docerra, the girl's mother, told the outlet. “She was a very happy and kind person. She loved drawing. She loved art. She loved drawing.”
Emily, whose family lives at San Carlos Apache Indian Reservation, lived in a group home in Mesa when she went missing on January 27th.
The teen last saw him live in January, and her group home manager reported that she was missing.
“Her case manager told me she was missing a week later,” Docera told WCJB.
The teenage body was placed last month, but authorities were able to confirm that it belongs to Pike for the past week. Her autopsy results showed that she was suffering from visible facial and head trauma.
According to the Gira County Sheriff's Office, the head and torso were found with large pouches and legs separately in bags, but the girl's arms and hands were not found.
“Why did it go that far? It's so painful to hope that other mothers won't get through,” Docerra said in tears.
According to her mother, police have three suspects, but they have not shared names.
Her mother said Emily, who had big dreams of studying art at university, was soon celebrating her 15th birthday.
“You will never forget. I love you,” her mother said. “Please rest in peace until we meet again.”
Authorities determined the teenager's death was murder.
Anyone with information will be asked to contact the Gira County Sheriff's Office, the Indian Affairs Bureau, or the San Carlos Apache Tribal Police Department.
