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Homicide investigation underway after death of Yessenia Norman
18-year-old Yessenia Norman, who went missing last month, was found dead by police, and the case is now being investigated as a homicide. FOX 10's Megan Spector spoke to her mother, who is still searching for answers.
TOLLESON, Ariz. - The body of missing 18-year-old Yessenia Norman was recovered by Tolleson Police, after she first went missing on Jan. 19.
What we know:
After her body was discovered, Tolleson Police are investigating the case as a homicide.
As her family mourns her loss, they are left with many questions about what happened.
What they're saying:
"I can’t imagine. I just can’t imagine—who would do that to her? I don’t understand," said Jessica Calderon, Norman’s mother.
Her mother said the teenager had been living at a Valley transitional facility contracted with the Arizona Department of Child Safety. Calderon previously told FOX 10 that her daughter planned on meeting someone she met online before her disappearance.
Yessenia Norman: Police confirm death of missing Valley woman
Yessenia Norman, 18, who last seen on Jan. 19, has been found dead.
"Just like me, she puts on a tough face. She’s very tough," Calderon said. "But at her very core, she’s a very sweet girl. Very creative, artistic."
Dig deeper:
Calderon said her daughter was ready to start her life.
"The last year, she’s been clean and sober. She’s been working multiple jobs," Calderon said. "She was getting signed up for school. She just moved into her new place a few weeks ago. She had plans. She told me everything, you know?"
Now, Calderon is dealing with the pain of losing her daughter while waiting for answers from investigators.
"The initial news, of course, I was hysterical. But I’m at a point now where it doesn’t feel real," Calderon said. "I feel like I need to touch her, I need to see her to know that it’s real. I’m waiting for when the coroner is finished, so I want to know [the] cause of death. I want to know when she died. But ultimately, out of anything, I just want investigators to find who did this to her. And I just want to know why."
What's next:
Norman’s death is currently under investigation.
The Source: This information was gathered from a previous FOX 10 report, Phoenix Police, and FOX 10's Megan Spector who spoke with the teen girl's mother on Feb. 1.