BRADENTON, Fla. (AP) — Police believe they have found the body of a missing 11-year-old central Florida girl in a freezer.
Bradenton Police Chief Michael Radzilowski said during a news conference late Sunday that a body was found inside a freezer in the garage of a grandmother of the missing girl, Janiya Thomas. Authorities say the body is likely that of Janiya, who hasn’t been seen in months.
The girl’s aunt and grandmother made the discovery. They told investigators Janiya’s mother and an unidentified man dropped off the freezer Wednesday.
The Bradenton Herald reports the women were unaware of its contents until they saw news reports about Janiya and checked inside.
Janiya’s mother, 31-year-old Keishanna Thomas, was taken into custody Friday after police say she refused to answer questions about her daughter’s whereabouts. It wasn’t immediately clear if she has an attorney.
