Two teenage girls have been found dead in a water basin in Arizona two weeks after they were reported missing from a nearby home for troubled youths.
The bodies of Sitlalli Avelar, 17, and Kamryn Meyers, 15, were found in Mesa, east of Phoenix, by a dog walker on Saturday.
They had both disappeared from Powerhouse Youth Facility Inc, a group home for troubled teenagers not far from where their bodies were discovered, on January 7.
The dog walker who phoned the police told them he thought one body 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 phoned the police told them he thought one body was a mannequin, officers said. The second girl was found dead 10 feet away
The bodies were recovered by police at around 6pm on 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 unclear whether there was any foul play involved.
Officers are now investigating the mysterious deaths, telling local media outlets they are determined to find out what happened.
Powerhouse Youth Facility Inc lawyer Brad Miller told local outlet AZFamily that Avelar and Meyers had a history of fleeing group homes and were heard talking about leaving Powerhouse on January 6.
He said members of staff 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 both disappeared from Powerhouse Youth Facility Inc, a group home for troubled teenagers in Mesa, not far from where their bodies were discovered, on January 7
Staff met the 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 to the home.
‘There has been a lot of traffic in general, a lot of police officers coming in the last couple of weeks,’ she told the publication.
‘I guess the first thing that comes to my mind is who enticed you to leave? What made you leave a safe environment?’
Les Nemeth told ABC15 that the basin is just feet away from where he plays golf several times a month.
‘It’s really sad. People don’t have any respect or any value for life anymore,’ he said, noting that the girls’ deaths have shocked the area’s residents.
Mesa Police Detective Richard Encinas told Fox10: ‘We take any case like this extremely seriously.
‘What happened? I mean, that’s our number one goal, to figure out what occurred.’
Encinas said detectives have been working ‘nonstop’ on the case.
