17-year-old Kansas girl found dead two days after going to father-figure's house to help him take out the trash
Law enforcement in Kansas is investigating the death of a teen after she went to help a friend with household chores and was later found lifeless in the back of a semi-truck.
Authorities discovered 17-year-old Jasmine Mills' body on Saturday in an industrial area near the Kansas River in Olathe, KS, the Kansas City Star reported.
Jasmine was last seen on Thursday, heading to her longtime adult male friend's home.
According to Deanna Peters, her mother, Jasmine often worked odd jobs to make extra cash and said Thursday's task was just another day of such work—she was hired by her friend to wake him up and then help him take out the trash and clean.
Peters noted the task felt no different than others as the man was allegedly a longtime pal of her daughter.
“She pretty much looked at him like a dad or grandpa kind of figure,” she told the outlet. “I trusted her judgment because she’s known him forever.”
But Peters woke up on Friday to find her daughter had not returned home from her job the previous day.
Unable to reach Jasmine on her cellphone, Peters reported her missing to local authorities.
Ultimately, after a joint effort by the Olathe Police Department and Kansas City Police Department, Jasmine's body was eventually found Saturday morning.
“Officers working a death in the 1100 block of S 14th. Unknown circumstances at this time," Kansas City Police Chief Terry Zeigler tweeted at the time of the discovery. "Believed to be dead for a couple of days before reported to the police. Detectives responding.”
OPD confirmed Jasmine's identity in a press release later issued on Twitter, announcing that her death was being treated as suspicious, People reported.
“On June 29th, 2019, at approximately 9:00 a.m., Olathe Police Officers were dispatched to the 1100 block of South 12th Street in Kansas City, Kansas in reference to a suspicious death,” they wrote. “The deceased was identified as Jasmine Mills, a 17-year-old white female from Olathe, Kansas.”
According to the Kansas City Star, the industrial area where Jasmine's body was found is surrounded by railroad tracks junkyards, and an abundance of semi-trucks parked in rows.
Now, the devastated family is remembering the teen for her loving nature.
“She was happy-go-lucky,” Peters said of her daughter. “She was sweet, kind, loving, caring and too trusting, obviously.”
Alex Boll, Jasmine's younger sister, shared an emotional message for her on Facebook.
“Rest In Paradise to the best big sister I could have ever asked for. You were amazing and I don’t know what I’m going to do without you.” she wrote.
“I didn’t get to say goodbye... Or I love you… My last words to you were ‘I’ll see you tomorrow’ I wish I would have known you were leaving … I would have gone with you,” she continued. “I don’t know who would have hurt you… No one could have had a reason you were amazing… I don’t know what I’m going to do without you…”
That said, the case is currently under investigation as OPD officers work in cooperation with the Kansas City Police Department to determine how Jasmine died.
Anyone with information is urged to contact Olathe Police Department at (913) 971-6950 or the TIPS Hotline at (816) 474-8477.