A young girl with Down Syndrome and her mother were found dead after going missing while on a camping trip in Oregon.
17-year-old Gabrielle and her mom Dawna Roe, 51, were found shot dead in a car in a suspected murder-suicide.
According to reports, their lifeless bodies were found inside a 2004 Toyota minivan in a remote area near Drewsey.
It was on June 30 when the mother and daughter were reported missing after telling their family and friends that they were going on a camping trip in Oregon.
Dawna had just quit her job and was being investigated by Child Protective Services when they left.
Officers searched for the two following their camping trip, which families described as ‘out of character.’
Speaking to KTVB, Caldwell Police Chief Rex Ingram said: “Preliminary information shows it appears to be a murder-suicide by gunshot.”
The Grand County Sheriff’s Office also said that “no other individuals are being sought at this time.”
Toxicology and autopsy reports are still pending.
Before the news of Dawna and Gabrielle’s deaths, daughter Rebekah Roe said: “My youngest sister is 17 years old, she has Down Syndrome, she is mentally 6-7 years old. My mother has severe mental health issues.
“My mother was being investigated by CPS and decided to pack herself and my sister for a ”camping trip” after suddenly quitting her job. She did not bring their SSI cards.”
Rebekah said that her mother had no camping gear and that she had made threats to hurt her younger sister.
Mariah Villesca, also Dawna’s daughter, wrote: “Gabby has a genuine and pure soul. She has always emanated contagious joy everywhere that she went, and all who met our girl will forever remember her palpable and unfiltered love.
“My mother battled with and eventually succumbed to mental illness, and Gabby was a victim of that illness as well.
“I’m just going to miss that. I’m going to miss her smiles, her laugh, her pure, unfiltered love.”
A GoFundMe has been organized to raise money for funeral expenses.
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