Rosa Maria Dias-Santos, 17, was last seen alive on her way to Eleanor Roosevelt High School in Greenbelt, Maryland, on September 22.
Authorities have found the skeletal remains of a teen who went missing on her route to school about two months ago. Rosa Maria Diaz-remains Santos’s were discovered in a forested area in Takoma Park, Maryland, on Nov. 17, roughly seven miles outside of Washington, D.C., according to a news release.
Rosa was last seen alive on her way to Eleanor Roosevelt High School in Greenbelt, Maryland, on September 22, according to the release. On October 11, police reported her missing.
Rosa’s parents, who requested anonymity for fear of their safety, told WRC-TV that they suspect their daughter was murdered by a gang. The teen’s mother stated that her daughter apologized to her shortly before her abduction.
“‘I’m so sorry, mommy. Forgive me for making you suffer, for everything I’ve done to you,'” she recalled Rosa saying, according to the station. “Don’t cry when you find me dead somewhere. Don’t cry.'” Eleanor Roosevelt High School head Dr. Portia Barnes said in a schoolwide email to families Monday that Diaz-Santos’ death has been difficult for the school to deal with.
Police are still looking for anyone who could have been involved in Rosa’s death. “For those of you who knew Rosa, we ask that you remember and celebrate her life,” the letter, obtained by FOX5 DC, states.
“For those of you who did not know Rosa, we ask that you respect our sadness and support us with your understanding. It is very difficult for all of us to face the death of a young person.” Anyone with information on the crime is asked to contact the Prince George County Police Department at (301) 516-2512.