Investigators say they have positively identified remains found in South Wilkes-Barre as those of a missing city teen and arrested her biological aunt in connection with the case.
La’Niyah Clark, 15, went missing Jan. 17 in Wilkes-Barre.
In a statement released Friday, Wilkes-Barre Police Chief Michael Boyle and Luzerne County District Attorney Sam Sanguedolce said remains discovered Saturday behind a garage on Thayer Street are confirmed as La’Niyah through dental records and other circumstantial evidence uncovered in the investigation.
La’Niyah's biological aunt, Bobbiejo Etzel, 36, was arrested in Hagerstown, Maryland, with the assistance of U.S. Marshals and is expected to be charged with corruption of minors and interfering with La’Niyah's custody, the release stated.
La’Niyah, known as "Lala" to family and friends, was adopted in 2020 by Ameerah Woods and Antoine Clark.
La’Niyah's biological aunt, Bobbiejo Etzel, 36, was arrested in Hagerstown, Maryland, with the assistance of U.S. Marshals and is expected to be charged with corruption of minors and interfering with La’Niyah's custody, the release stated on Friday.
Woods and Clark reported La’Niyah missing on Jan. 17 after she left home that day and had not returned home by dinnertime.
La’Niyah was deaf and wore two hearing aids, police and family have said.
Family: 'ensuring justice is served'
A spokesperson for La’Niyah's family released the following statement Friday afternoon:
"Thank you for reaching out. We are aware of the DA’s statement. This is an incredibly emotional time for our family. Out of respect for the investigation and legal process, we will not be making a detailed statement at this time. Our focus remains on honoring La’Nyiah and ensuring justice is served."
Investigators: La’Niyah went to aunt
The release from Sanguedolce and Boyle states that La’Niyah "fled from her home" to her aunt, Etzel, "who moved to different locations before fleeing the county."
"Etzel was, at the time, reported to be the subject of a Protection from Abuse (PFA) order issued by the Luzerne County Court of Common Pleas directing her not to have contact" with La’Niyah, the release states.
During a rally outside WPBD headquarters earlier this week, La’Niyah’s adoptive grandmother, Carmen Tinson, said her family asked for a PFA order against the aunt in October, and claimed that the aunt had La’Niyah in a home with a pedophile.
Investigators on Tuesday surrounded a four-unit apartment building on New Alexander Street, about a half mile from where the body was found.
Sanguedolce on Tuesday told reporters that "parties at this address have been related back to La’Niyah Clark," and that law enforcement searched the apartment building’s lower left unit for three or four hours Tuesday afternoon.
Many people from the apartment building are being questioned, Sanguedolce said Tuesday, but declined to say whether anyone who lived there was a suspect.
A search of registered Megan's Law Offenders showed an individual with a history of rape and sexual assault living at that address.
"Etzel is being held in the Washington County Detention Center in Hagerstown, Maryland, where county detectives will transport her back to the Luzerne County Correctional Facility for arraignment on her charges," the release stated.
Sanguedolce told WVIA News he could not comment at this time when asked about the possibility of further arrests.
Autopsy and discoveries at scene
Wilkes-Barre police were called to Thayer Street at about 1 p.m. Saturday for a report of human remains behind a garage.
A search warrant affidavit filed in the case said investigators found the remains of a naked female in a pile of snow.
The affidavit said that there were suspected signs of trauma to the body, including that she appeared purple by her face, back and arms, "which may be bruising."
“Two areas that appear to be cuts, has a rope-like item around the right wrist, and a pair of scissors was viewed near the body,” the affidavit signed by WBPD Det. James Conmy says.
In addition to the rope and purple scissors, Conmy's affidavit said a MAC knife, hairs from a folding knife, white plastic material and a red ribbon were found at the scene.
An autopsy was performed Tuesday morning and Luzerne County Coroner Dion Fernandes positively identified the remains as La’Niyah.
Sanguedolce said Friday that the cause and manner of death have not yet been determined.
Anyone with information is asked to call Wilkes-Barre Police Lt. Matt Stash or Det. Conmy at 570-208-0911.
