Authorities believe the deaths of three Texas girls, all under 10 years old, may have been homicides.
Now, law enforcement is turning to the community for leads to find out who killed the children.
The Cass County Criminal District Attorney’s Office shared the autopsy reports for sisters Zi’Ariel Robinson-Oliver, 9, A’Miyah Hughes, 8, and Te’Mari Robinson-Oliver, 5, with the media on March 23, according to KSLA 12.
The medical examiner said his review of the girls’ bodies show there was evidence of strangulation on their necks. It also indicated the girls had cuts on their faces.
Now, detectives who have been working on the eight-month-old case believe that someone killed the girls and disposed of their bodies in a local pond.
The girls, with three other siblings, were under the care of their older cousin Paris Propps, before going missing on July 29, 2022, around 8 p.m.
Propps was watching the children while their mom was at work. The babysitter contacted the police around 9 p.m. and filed three missing persons reports.
The girl’s mother Shommaonique Oliver said on Facebook the “loss of my sweet babies” is “so unreal.”
“‘This was so unexpect (sic) and a big hurt and shock to myself and my family,” Oliver wrote.
A search party consisting of deputies, Texas Parks and Wildlife, and Cass County Emergency Services District No. 2 were tapped to look for the young ladies. The Bowie County dive team was called in to help with the search after a search party found a pair of shoes and clothing spread out on the banks of a neighboring property’s pond.
There was also an abandoned bicycle discovered close to the scene of the crime, according to the Texarkana Gazette, which clued the party on where to look.
Hours later, between 2 a.m. and 3 a.m., their small bodies were found in a pond outside of Atlanta, Texas, near Texas Highway 77, and 200 yards from the girls’ house on nearby property.
At the time, it was believed the deaths the girls accidentally drowned in the still body of water.
Still, law enforcement officials said he was baffled as to why the girls would be at the pond.
“This is not an everyday occurrence, but it does happen,” Texas Game Warden Shawn Hervey told Texarkana Gazette.
With the new report, the investigation is focused on finding the killer.
The Texas Rangers, the Cass County Sheriff’s Office, and the Cass County District Attorney’s Office have been investigating this case.
“Multiple witness statements have been obtained, DNA testing is ongoing, and the investigation will continue,” Cass County District Attorney Courtney Shelton said.
Shelton did not specify if the DNA samples came from the girls, the witness, or anyone with access to the girls.
The case is still open, but authorities are asking the public to share any information that may lead to an arrest, asking for tipsters to call Texas Ranger Josh Mason at 903-255-5727.
