MANCHESTER, Conn. (AP) — A 13-year-old Manchester girl found dead in an apartment building on Friday was strangled and her death is being considered a homicide, according to the state’s medical examiner’s office.
Zaniya Wright was found Friday morning in a common area of an apartment complex, about 12 hours after her mother reported her missing. Medical examiners said Saturday that Wright died from compression of the neck.
Police told the Hartford Courant they had identified a juvenile who was with Wright before she went missing as a person of interest, but hadn’t made any arrests. Wright’s mother had left her in the care of a friend who lives in the apartment building and has a teenage son, the newspaper reported.
Wright’s grandmother told the newspaper the teen said Wright ran away after he sprayed water on her.
Counselors were at Illing Middle School Friday and Saturday to help grieving students.
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