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Officials ID Teen Girl Found Dead In Compton Industrial Area

COMPTON (CBSLA) – Authorities identified a teenage girl whose body was found in an industrial area of Compton early Monday morning.

The body of 15-year-old Samantha Bustos was discovered in some bushes by a passerby walking to work a little before 1:30 a.m. in the 500 block of West Victoria Street, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department.

Samantha Bustos
Samantha Bustos, 15, was found dead in an industrial area of Compton on March 25, 2019. (CBS2)

Investigators say Bustos was discovered with her clothes on and had trauma to her upper body. The L.A. County coroner will determine the exact cause of death.

"She was located on the west sidewalk, in between a fence line and the bushes," Sheriff's Lt. Rodney Moore said.

Her mother, Blanca Bautista, confirmed her daughter's identity to CBS2.

"They found her, and I don't know what to say, I don't have words," Bautista said.

"They (the suspects) hurt her bad, they tried to clean her face, she had blood all over her face," she added.

Her family says the teen, who was a sophomore at New Designs Charter School in Compton, was last seen on Friday. Her family said she had been spending time Friday with her best friend and two males who her family didn't know.

"She was really good, she didn't even go out to parties, until that day," Bautista said.

At some point, Bustos' best friend left the group. However, her family didn't report missing until Sunday because they thought she was staying with her best friend.

"Because she was supposed to come home Saturday," Bautista said. "Because she was supposed to stay with her best friend. So she lied. And her best friend was supposed to stay in my house, so they both lied."

Deputies have been tight-lipped and have not released any suspect information. Investigators were scouring the area for surveillance video. Detectives told the family Bustos was possibly seen in a white Jeep in the area.

Keith Lynch, a man who works nearby, told CBS2 Monday that one of his employees approached and informed him that he has a niece in the area who has been missing since last week.

"One of the workers came to me this morning and said, 'Keith, I'm frantic, one my nieces has been missing since Friday evening. Hopefully, it's not her.' I sent the gentleman home. And let's hope for the best."

Anyone with information on the case should call detectives at 323-890-5500.

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