Remains found in Pasadena identified

PASADENA, Md. (WMAR) - Human remains found earlier this month in the Pasadena area of Anne Arundel County have been identified as 20-year-old Jessica Lee of Brooklyn Park.

Lee, leaves behind a devastated family – including a daughter, 16-month-old Megan.

Lee left her home back in May; family members had been searching for her ever since.

“I thought she would just go and like she usually does, she comes back,” said Lee’s mother, Anne Burke.

This time she didn't come back.  Then, earlier this month a man discovered a body in the woods behind the Ollie's Bargain Outlet in Pasadena.

Lee's mother didn't want to believe it was her.

“I kept the hope up until today,” Burke said.

On that day back in May, Lee walked from her home to the Shoppers grocery store along Richie Highway.

The store has several security cameras; police could have evidence of how Lee left and whether it was with another person.

Lee's mother says she had a learning disability, and didn't graduate from high school.  But she had no enemies and no history of drugs or violence.

“I really believe they will find who did this to my daughter. I really do. And when they do i hope they put him to death,” she said.

Police have not said whether they think Lee went anywhere else after the grocery store before ending up in those woods in Pasadena -- more than eight miles down Richie Highway.

Her mother is left to plan a funeral, and eventually to try to explain what happened -- to Megan.

“It's going to hurt when she grows up and how am I going to tell her that somebody killed her mother. That's the worst part,” she said.

Police are only saying they are investigating this case as a homicide.  If you think you might have some information that might help you're asked to call Anne Arundel County Police Detective Regina Collier at (410) 222-3417.

Read more: http://www.abc2news.com/dpp/news/crime_checker/anne_arundel_crime/decomposed-body-that-of-murdered-woman#ixzz23pa1oy68