Oakwood, Georgia – Jessica Maria Motes, a resident of the area, has been taken into custody after the body of a 4-year-old girl was discovered in the trunk of a Nissan Sentra outside a Sam’s Club on Sunday, October 26. The shocking discovery has left the local community reeling and prompted a multi-agency law enforcement response.
Authorities say Motes contacted her father before law enforcement arrived at the scene. During their interaction, she reportedly admitted to having “hurt” the child and expressed her belief that the child was deceased. Her father then either alerted law enforcement or facilitated contact, which led to a rapid response from multiple agencies.
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI), Oakwood Police Department, and the Hall County Sheriff’s Office all participated in the coordinated investigation. Their immediate priority was to secure the vehicle, confirm the identity of the child, and ensure that any potential evidence inside the car was preserved.
Investigators did not limit their efforts to the parking lot. Motes’ movements were traced to a residence on Couch Road in Flowery Branch, Georgia. This location became a secondary scene of investigation. While authorities have not disclosed what they found inside the home, they believe it may be connected to the circumstances surrounding the young child’s death.
Jessica Maria Motes is currently facing charges of concealing the death of another person. This charge reflects the act of hiding the body but does not at this time indicate she was responsible for causing the child’s death. Law enforcement officials have stressed that the investigation is ongoing, and additional charges may follow depending on the findings of the autopsy and further evidence collection.
The community is struggling to process the tragedy, with neighbors and residents expressing shock, sorrow, and disbelief at the events. Many have reached out to local organizations for support and are urging law enforcement to provide clarity as soon as possible.
Officials are awaiting critical information from the autopsy to better understand how the child died and whether foul play was involved. Until these details are confirmed, authorities have refrained from issuing a detailed public statement. They emphasized the importance of gathering all necessary evidence before making conclusions.
The investigation has raised numerous questions among the public: What did the child endure? How long was she confined to the trunk? And what circumstances led to this heartbreaking event? Law enforcement continues to work diligently to uncover answers.
GBI and local law enforcement have asked anyone with information related to the case to come forward. Authorities emphasize that even small details or observations could be vital to the investigation and may help piece together the sequence of events that led to the child’s death.
As the Oakwood community mourns the loss of a young life, thoughts remain with the child’s family and loved ones. Residents hope that justice and clarity will follow, and they are calling for the child to be remembered and honored. The investigation continues, and the community is left grappling with the gravity of this tragic event.
