TEAIRA "TT" WHITEHEAD - 16 yo (10/2014) - Pittsburgh PA

16-year-old girl found dead in Riverview Park
Death of Teaira 'TT' Whitehead under investigation

By Marcie Cipriani
UPDATED 2:43 PM EDT Oct 07, 2014


Teaira Whitehead, also known as "TT."

PITTSBURGH —City homicide detectives are investigating the death of a Pittsburgh teenager whose body was discovered along a hillside in Riverview Park in the Observatory Hill neighborhood.

Teaira Whitehead, 16, of Homewood, was found dead by joggers at the base of a hill on a trail below Riverview Avenue shortly after 12:45 p.m. Monday, Public Safety spokeswoman Sonya Toler said.

The medical examiner is working to determine the cause of death.

Whitehead, also known as "TT," last had contact with her family on Sunday evening, Toler said. Anyone who had contact with the girl after that time is being asked to call the city's Homicide Unit at 412-323-7161.

"The matter is being investigated as a suspicious death because we currently have no evidence to indicate the cause, manner, or location of death," Toler said in a written statement. "We are currently awaiting the findings of the Allegheny County Medical Examiner's Office."

A news conference was expected to be held sometime Tuesday afternoon.

Read more: http://www.wtae.com/news/body-of-female-found-in-pittsburgh-park/28976278#ixzz3FUuajETB

BLEACH POURED ON TEEN FOUND DEAD IN PARK...
October 10, 2014
Post-Gazzette.com

Just not letting me paste

Bleach poured on teen found dead in park, DA says

October 10, 2014 11:14 PM

      

By Liz Navratil / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Someone poured bleach  on the body of a teenager found dead this week in Riverview Park, the Allegheny County district attorney said Friday.

“The body was burned with bleach,” Stephen A. Zappala Jr. said. “Usually that indicates that someone somebody has assaulted somebody else.”

Suspects sometimes use bleach to try to destroy DNA evidence, but they are not always successful, Mr. Zappala said.
Teaira Whitehead, 16, of Homewood, was “known to law enforcement” before joggers found her dead and nude Monday afternoon in the North Side park, he said.

How Teaira died remains unclear. Allegheny County medical examiner Karl Williams said his office is waiting on the results of several tests, including routine sex assault testing, before ruling on the cause and manner of her death.

He said his laboratory has put a “rush” on those tests, and he expects the results to be ready in “days as opposed to weeks,” although he did not have an exact time frame.

Mr. Zappala said Teaira associated with known heroin dealers, some of whom officials are trying to find. He said he would not describe her as a dealer but said she was a known heroin user.

Officials are attempting to track down anyone who had contact with her between the time she last contacted her family, Sunday evening, and the time her body was found.

Teaira’s father said the family did not wish to speak with reporters.

There will be a memorial for Teaira at 6 p.m. Monday at the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses, 8899 Frankstown Ave. Viewing and visitation will follow from 4 to 8 p.m. Tuesday at the Spriggs-Watson Funeral Home, 720 N. Lang Ave., Homewood.

Police are asking anyone who had contact with Teaira after Sunday evening to call the homicide unit at 412-323-7161.
 
 


Liz Navratil: lnavratil@post-gazette.com, 412-263-1438 or on Twitter @LizNavratil. First Published October 10, 2014 2:02 PM

ladibug wrote:BLEACH POURED ON TEEN FOUND DEAD IN PARK...
October 10, 2014
Post-Gazzette.com

Just not letting me paste  

Gotcha covered, although a bit belatedly.