Police Find Girl's Body In Joppatowne
Description Matches That Of Missing Baltimore Girl, Police Say
UPDATED: 3:32 p.m. EST December 20, 2002
JOPPATOWNE, Md. -- A body was found in Harford County Thursday afternoon, and investigators are trying to determine whether it is that of a missing 8-year-old Baltimore girl.
The body was found around 3:30 p.m. in a wooded area in Joppatowne near Haverhill Road. WBAL-TV 11 NEWS reports that the body matches the description of 8-year-old Marciana Ringo, according to police sources.
The fully clothed body is that of an African American girl, said police spokeswoman Ragina Averella. The body has not been positively identified, she said, but the physical description as well as clothing found are "very consistent" with descriptions of Marciana Ringo.
Just a half-hour earlier, U.S. Attorney Thomas DiBiagio announced that the boyfriend of the girl's mother was indicted on federal extortion charges.
DiBiagio says Jamal Abeokuto, 23, mailed a letter (pictured, left) threatening to kill the girl if he didn't receive $5,000.
Officials say Abeokuto's fingerprints were found on back of note mailed to Marciana's mother's house.
The note was addressed to Marciana's father, and a part of it reads, "I want $5,000 put in a bag in the bathroom at Druid Hill Park by 8 p.m. tonight, or the girl dies."
The arrest warrant was issued Thursday for Abeokuto who has been indicted on federal extortion charges.
Abeokuto previously told police that he last saw Marciana -- who has been missing for over a week -- when he dropped her off at her elementary school on Dec. 3. The letter was reportedly mailed that same day.
According to charging documents, police found a plastic bag that had a pair of bloody blue jeans the day after Marciana disappeared in the woods near her house, 11 NEWS reported. Also in the bag was a receipt for a new pair of jeans from a Wal-Mart store near Abeokuto's place of work in Aberdeen.
The charges carry a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Stay with TheWBALChannel.com and 11 News for the latest news updates.
DiBiagio says Jamal Abeokuto, 23, mailed a letter (pictured, left) threatening to kill the girl if he didn't receive $5,000.
Officials say Abeokuto's fingerprints were found on back of note mailed to Marciana's mother's house.
The note was addressed to Marciana's father, and a part of it reads, "I want $5,000 put in a bag in the bathroom at Druid Hill Park by 8 p.m. tonight, or the girl dies."
The arrest warrant was issued Thursday for Abeokuto who has been indicted on federal extortion charges.
Abeokuto previously told police that he last saw Marciana -- who has been missing for over a week -- when he dropped her off at her elementary school on Dec. 3. The letter was reportedly mailed that same day.
According to charging documents, police found a plastic bag that had a pair of bloody blue jeans the day after Marciana disappeared in the woods near her house, 11 NEWS reported. Also in the bag was a receipt for a new pair of jeans from a Wal-Mart store near Abeokuto's place of work in Aberdeen.
The charges carry a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Stay with TheWBALChannel.com and 11 News for the latest news updates.
Previous Stories:
- December 12, 2002: Prosecutors Indict Mother's Boyfriend In Missing-Girl Case
- December 11, 2002: Norris: Police Have Leads In Search For Missing Girl
- December 10, 2002: Police Search For Missing Girl In Harford County
- December 10, 2002: New Details In Search For Missing Girl
- December 6, 2002: Police Have Clue In 8-Year-Old Girl's Disappearance
- December 6, 2002: Parents Plea For Daughter's Return
- December 5, 2002: 8-Year-Old Still Missing; Neighbors Baffled
- December 4, 2002: Baltimore City Police Searching For Missing Girl
Copyright 2002 by TheWBALChannel.com. The Associated Press contributed to this report. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
