Human remains discovered in a California river have been identified as those of a teen girl from New York who disappeared 50 years ago.
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Nearly 30 years ago, partial skeletal remains were discovered in a riverbed near a highway in Watsonville. However, the case stalled after initial DNA testing revealed only that the remains belonged to a female.
Advanced testing has officially identified the body as Laura O’Malley, a 13-year-old girl from Queens who went missing in August 1975, the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office announced on March 25.
However, some mysteries remain surrounding O’Malley’s death.
“It is not known when, or under what circumstances, Laura O’Malley arrived in California,” the sheriff’s office admitted.
The young teen was identified after the cold case was reopened in 2019, leading to additional forensic testing. This analysis, which included carbon dating, revealed that the individual was likely born in the 1960s and died sometime between 1977 and 1984, authorities stated.
Cutting-Edge Genetic Testing Helped Confirm the Identity of Long Missing New York Teen
In 2022, cutting-edge genetic testing was utilized to trace potential relatives, ultimately confirming the identity of the long-missing New York girl, authorities detailed.
“From 2022 to 2023, our office used advanced genetic genealogy to identify potential family members,” the sheriff’s office detailed. “Partnering with Othram, a leader in forensic DNA analysis, we were able to develop new investigative leads.”
Since her disappearance, O’Malley’s siblings—two sisters and a brother—spent years tirelessly searching for her. They shared her photo throughout Manhattan, believing it might be where she had initially fled.
The sheriff’s office added it was “deeply grateful” to have helped provide “long-awaited answers to Laura’s family.”
The Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office also noted that the case remains open.
“The circumstances surrounding her death are still under investigation,” they said. “Anyone with information related to this case is urged to call our dispatch at 831-471-1121.”