Police confirm they suspect foul play was involved in the disappearance and death of a South Houston teenage girl.
Police would not discuss how 15-year-old Karen Perez was killed before her body was stuffed under a kitchen sink in an empty apartment.
A juvenile suspect is in custody and murder charges are pending, the City of South Houston Police tell KHOU 11 News.
It was early Tuesday morning when Tim Miller with Texas Equusearch confirmed Perez was found dead overnight in an abandoned apartment complex at Avenue N and 16th Street, next to South Houston High School.
"I know God is watching right now. She was the sweetest. She was always smiling and laughing," said Janely Valdespino, Perez's cousin. "She was always so happy."
Relatives had been searching for Perez since Friday when she didn't come home from school.
Surveillance video from a taqueria down the street from the high school showed Perez with two boys. An employee remembers seeing one of the boys come back hours later.
"He used the phone because he said his battery just died so he called his mom to come pick him up here," the employee said.
Many parents and students say the abandoned apartment complex has been a place for illegal activity for years.
Now, Karen's family wants answers.
"I already talked to the school and they said they have tried to buy the property," said Maria Perez, the victim's aunt. "And they said no they don't want to sell the property because they want to remodel it inside."
"It's been a huge eyesore and a huge danger to these children and, now unfortunately a little girl's body was found in one of them," Miller said.
The City of South Houston says the complex is up to code even though it looks rundown.
"I'm gonna try to get in touch with the owners for that property," said South Houston Code Enforcement Officer Charles Sluder. "I need to find out what they want to do and where they stand with the property."
"The thought that Karen was so close and no one could help her," said Valdespino. "Something could've been done to stop it."
Family of #KarenPerez put up flyers after she disappeared Friday. This is 1 block from where body found. pic.twitter.com/IC7NE0eKvB
— Melissa Correa (@MCorreaKHOU) May 31, 2016
The South Houston High School Family and district administrators learned this morning that one of the ninth grade students, Karen Perez, has been found dead after being reported missing.
Our deepest sympathy goes to Karen’s family. The student leaves behind a host of friends who will miss her greatly. As the South Houston High School family mourns the loss of this student, the campus and Pasadena ISD are doing everything we can to provide comfort and assistance to the family and to our students in this time of grief. The District has counselors available on the campus to address concerns from students.
