WHARTON COUNTY, Texas — We now know how an unidentified teenage girl died before her remains were found last week in a secluded area of Wharton County.
The Fort Bend County Medical Examiner's Office told KHOU 11 News reporter Matt Dougherty that the victim had been shot multiple times in the head.
The autopsy also showed she'd been dead for several weeks -- maybe even months.
Wharton County Sheriff's Office received a call on June 18 about the remains found near County Road 225 near Hungerford, in the northeastern part of the county. A property owner discovered them while clearing some brush.
The remains are too badly decomposed to determine her race, but the girl had dark brown to black hair, at least shoulder-length and was believed to be about 14-17 years old.
Investigators are determined to give this victim a name so they've released three photos that might help.
One photo shows three silver rings that were found with the remains. One ring had two hearts and the others had white stones.
Another photo shows the Disney character “Stitch” because that's what was on her t-shirt, along with the word OHANA in blue.
The victim was also wearing shorts with images of coffee mugs and donuts and a lightweight tan hooded jacket with the brand name “Love Tree.” Wharton County released a photo of a similar jacket from Walmart.
Investigators do not think she is a local girl.
"Currently in Wharton County we don't have any missing persons at all," Wharton County Patrol Capt. B.J. Novak told KHOU 11 Wednesday.
Deputies are now checking for potential matches of missing persons across the region and the U.S.
Investigators say it's possible she was a human trafficking victim brought to Wharton County and her family has no idea.
"You would think by now, especially with those rings that were posted, somebody would recognize those," Novak said.
Anyone who may have information on this case or could identify the girl is urged to call WCSO at (979) 532-1550.