Mom charged with child cruelty after missing 8-year-old is found dead, Georgia cops say
Georgia authorities have found the body of an 8-year-old girl who vanished from an Atlanta-area hotel over the weekend, according to multiple news outlets.
Nicole Amari Hall was last seen with her mother early Sunday, Nov. 21, in their unit at the Hometowne Studios in Peachtree Corners, McClatchy News previously reported, citing police.
Gwinnett County authorities confirmed the child, who went by her middle name Amari, was found in a wooded area of a neighboring county near Stone Mountain Freeway on Tuesday, Nov. 23, police Chief J.D. McClure told reporters during a news conference streamed by WXIA.
“My heart goes out to the extended family of Amari Hall,” McClure said. “We worked diligently on this case ... we worked extremely hard, and unfortunately these were not the results that we had hoped for.”
Amari’s mother, Brittany Hall, was arrested Monday, Nov. 22, on charges of filing a false report and first-degree child cruelty, according to a news release. Authorities said additional charges are possible as they investigate her role in the disappearance of her daughter, who had autism.
Hall’s partner, Celeste Owens, was arrested and charged with felony murder in the death of Amari, police said. Owens is also charged with first-degree child cruelty.
Authorities noted “inconsistencies” in statements given by Hall and Owens and began to suspect foul play early in the investigation. Police also pointed to hotel surveillance video “containing visuals that were ‘concerning,’ “ WGCL reported.
Two other kids, a 5-year-old and a 6-year-old, living with couple were removed by police and are now in the custody of Georgia’s Division of Family and Children’s Services, authorities said.
The case is still being investigated.
Peachtree Corners is about 22 miles northeast of Atlanta.
This story was originally published November 23, 2021 at 3:06 PM with the headline "Mom charged with child cruelty after missing 8-year-old is found dead, Georgia cops say."