Pregnant teenager found dead days away from her due date

BARNWELL COUNTY, SC – The body of a 17-year-old girl, who was nine months pregnant, has been found in South Carolina, reports said. The grim discovery of Maylashia Hogg was made in Barnwell County around 3:45 p.m. on Sunday, according to local law enforcement agencies.

Hogg, a student at Barnwell High School, was found within half a mile from her residence. The young teenager, who was due to give birth to a baby girl on February 14, was eagerly waiting to embrace motherhood.

She had already picked a name for her unborn daughter- London Charity, in honor of her late mother who passed away about 18 months ago. Relatives who are distraught over the unexpected tragedy have demanded swift action. “Whoever did it needs to be in jail,” said Robert Payne, Hogg’s cousin. “She was only a child. A child with a child.”

Concerns about Hogg’s whereabouts emerged when her aunt reported her missing on February 8. As the family received no updates from the police, they sought the assistance of Kimberly Kite, an investigative researcher with the Broken Link Foundation, which aids in locating missing individuals. When Hogg missed her induction appointment scheduled on February 13, her family’s worries intensified.

The family held a memorial for Hogg and her unborn daughter on Monday at the spot where she was found. An autopsy is set for Wednesday to determine the cause of death. So far, no suspects have been identified in the case. A comment from the Barnwell Police Department was pending at the time of this report.