Human remains found in California identified as 13-year-old girl who disappeared 50 years ago
Britt Jones
Featured Image Credit: Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Office
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.
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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.
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."
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.
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.
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.