Eight months following her disappearance, the body of disabled teen Aleah Beckerle was discovered in a vacant Indiana home, authorities announced Wednesday.
According to the Evansville Courier & Press, remains unearthed in a vacant Evansville house Monday were confirmed as Beckerle, 19, following an autopsy conducted by Vanderburgh County Coroner’s Office.
Cara Beckerle reported her daughter missing on July 17, 2016, after she allegedly woke up and discovered the non-verbal teen wasn’t home. NBC News reported that police claimed Aleah’s wheelchair and daily medication—intended to prevent severe seizures—were left behind. They also noted there were no signs of forced entry into the home.
The crowd at the Aleah Beckerle vigil joins together in prayer for Aleah. pic.twitter.com/q4Vs85gLpm
— Derick Brattain (@Derick14News) March 29, 2017
Evansville Police Captain Andy Chandler said a tip about a dead body led them to the rundown residence Monday.
Officers described the 19-year-old’s remains as badly decomposed, according to WXIN.
“It’s devastating to know that probably all these months she was right there,” Aleah’s great-aunt Laura Jackson told the Courier & Press.
In September, a tip erroneously indicated remains, possibly that of Beckerle, were discarded near a local interstate. The remains were found to belong to an animal.
Though Chandler said they are not currently calling the case a homicide investigation because the coroner has not determined a cause or manner of death. However, he said they are treating it as a criminal investigation as opposed to a missing persons case.
“Particularly to the individuals who are responsible for Aleah’s death, come forward,” Chandler said Wednesday. “We’re going to find you. Why don’t you come forward now so we can put this to rest.”
[Feature Image: Evansville Police Department]
