Family members recall the life of Abigail English, teen found dead in Shoreacres
SHOREACRES, TX (KTRK) -- A 15-year-old girl whose remains were found in Shoreacres Saturday, a month after she was reported missing, will be laid to rest beside the grave of Laura Miller.
Miller, like Abigail English, was considered a runaway, when her body was found in Galveston County years ago. Her father went on to found Texas Equusearch.
EXCLUSIVE: Equusearch found seeks custody of teen believed dead
Abbie, as she was called by friends and family, had only returned to relatives after spending most of her life in the California foster care system. She had been taken from her parents who were addicted to drugs at the time. In November, she was sent to Texas to live with her family.
"All she wanted was her family," said her mother Deborah Dreyer, as she stood beside flowers and balloons left near the wooded area where her body was found by Equusearch volunteers.
Dreyer said her daughter was acting out in the weeks before she disappeared. She had taken the family dog on a walk. The dog returned. Abbie did not.
Dreyer said she reported her daughter's disappearance to Shoreacres Police the next day. A missing person report was quickly filed, said the acting chief, but an Amber Alert was not issued. Because Abbie had a history of running away, she did not meet the state criteria for such an alert.
At La Porte High School, student facilitator Kay Ramirez sensed something was wrong.
"She was so sweet and so desparate to have a family, I knew she didn't run away," she said. "To know I drove by that same place where she was found is a horrible feeling," she said.
It was Ramirez who contacted Equusearch on Friday. The next day, Abbie was found, but it was the outcome no one wanted.
RELATED: Body found believed to be that of Abigail English
Harris County homicide investigators are now involved in the investigation. The remains are now awaiting identification and forensic exam to determine the cause of death.
Her maternal grandmother, Penelope Yeamans doesn't know if Abigail's death was the result of foul play, or suicide.
"She was a victim of the system, shuffled between foster care. I asked for custody," she said, but offered no assurance she would get it.
Tuesday marks what would have been Abigail English's 16th birthday.
"Her present will be having people come together as family," said Tim Miller, "to show her she is loved."
The funeral is tentatively set for May 7th.
