• News
  • Film and TV
  • Music
  • Tech
  • Features
  • Celebrity
  • Politics
  • Weird
  • Community
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • LADbible Group
  • LADbible
  • SPORTbible
  • GAMINGbible
  • Tyla
  • UNILAD Tech
  • FOODbible
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
Threads
TikTok
YouTube
Submit Your Content
Human remains found in California identified as 13-year-old girl who disappeared 50 years ago

Home> News> US News

Published 17:01 28 Mar 2025 GMT

Human remains found in California identified as 13-year-old girl who disappeared 50 years ago

Laura O’Malley was first reported missing in New York in August of 1975

Britt Jones

Britt Jones

Human remains that were found in a California riverbed have been positively identified as belonging to a missing teenager who'd vanished 50 years ago.

Almost 30 years ago, partial skeletal remains were found in a riverbed in Watsonville, California, with the identity of the victim remaining a mystery.

According to The Independent, officials were not able to determine the person's identity, however, DNA testing at the time confirmed that they belonged to a female.

However, decades later, the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office partnered with a forensic lab called Othram, where the remains were further tested.

Advert

And in a Facebook post, the Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Office confirmed that the body belonged to that of a 13-year-old girl who'd gone missing from New York in 1975.

Laura O’Malley was missing for 50 years (Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Office)
Laura O’Malley was missing for 50 years (Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Office)

The sheriff's office wrote: "Laura O’Malley was reported missing in New York in August of 1975, and her family had not seen or heard from her since.

"It is not known when, or under what circumstances, Laura O’Malley arrived in California."

Advert

The post says that in 2019, the case was re-examined by officials and given a test for carbon dating, which concluded that the teenager had been born in 1960, with the date of death estimated to be 'between 1977 and 1984'.

"From 2022 to 2023, our office used advanced genetic genealogy to identify potential family members," they continued, with this new lead ultimately leading to a breakthrough. "Partnering with Othram, a leader in forensic DNA analysis, we were able to develop new investigative leads."

It is also unclear how she died as the Sheriff's Office said that the 'circumstances surrounding her death are still under investigation', and they were 'deeply grateful' that the advancements had provided Laura's family with 'long-awaited answers'.

An article from the New York Daily Times in 1978, three years after Laura's disappearance, said that she had two sisters and a brother.

Advert

Advancements in DNA testing allowed police to identify the body (Getty stock images)
Advancements in DNA testing allowed police to identify the body (Getty stock images)

The newspaper further claims that she and her siblings left their Long Island home following a supposedly difficult relationship with their stepfather, with the 13-year-old even reportedly writing a note to her mother saying she wouldn't return home if her stepfather was still there.

The two did seperate, and her family said that Laura wasn't aware of this and was certain she'd return home if she did.

"Anyone with information related to this case is urged to call our dispatch at 831-471-1121." the message from The Sheriff's Office added.

Advert

Another historic missing persons case which was solved is the story of father-of-six Alfred Swinscoe, who went to the Miners Arms bar in Nottinghamshire, UK in January 1967 and was never seen or heard from again.

Sadly, it was found out by police that two people are suspected of murder, but they have since died.

Alfred's remains were found in April 2023.

Featured Image Credit: Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Office

Topics: Crime, Police, US News

Britt Jones
Britt Jones

Advert

Advert

Advert

Choose your content:

4 hours ago
6 hours ago
7 hours ago
  • 4 hours ago

    Cult classic film removed from Disney+ over controversial scene that had it banned from TV

    The British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) has long expressed its concerns about the scene in the 1989 movie

    Film & TV
  • 6 hours ago

    Vin Diesel hints Paul Walker could be in upcoming Fast and Furious movie and it's left fans very divided

    He's desperate to reunite Dom and Brian

    Film & TV
  • 6 hours ago

    Trump supporters are revealing the ‘red line’ that would make them stop supporting him and people say it’s ‘disturbing’

    President Trump's shocking approval ratings were recently released

    News
  • 7 hours ago

    Starbucks customer outraged after barista allegedly wrote 'illegal' joke on her cup

    "When I read it I’m like, OK. Was I supposed to laugh?"

    News
  • Girl who disappeared without a trace at just 23-months-old 26 years ago found alive
  • Mom issues new statement as manhunt for father continues after his three daughters were found dead following visit
  • Missing 12-year-old girl has been found after desperate 2 month search
  • Man arrested after 'marrying' nine-year-old girl at $150,000 Disneyland 'wedding' had extremely disturbing history before stunt