A 17-year-old teenager from Barnwell, South Carolina, who was nine months pregnant, was found dead in a ditch less than half a mile from her home.
The Barnwell High School student, Maylashia Hogg, who was eagerly awaiting the birth of her daughter, tragically missed her scheduled induction on February 13, 2024, leading to immediate concern from her family.
Hogg was reported missing by her aunt on February 8. Following a lack of initial response from law enforcement, the family sought help from Kimberly Kite of the Broken Link Foundation, an organization dedicated to finding missing people. Police confirmed the discovery of Hogg’s body around 3:45 p.m. on Sunday, February 18, in Barnwell County.
Family members recalled Hogg’s excitement about becoming a mother, noting she had named her unborn daughter London Charity in honor of her late mother, who passed away a year and a half ago.
The community and her family remember her as a vibrant teenager with dreams of returning to school to pursue a career in nursing after her daughter’s birth.
The anguish over Hogg’s disappearance and death has deeply affected her relatives. “Whoever did it needs to be in jail,” Robert Payne, Hogg’s cousin, said. “She was only a child. A child with a child.”
A memorial service for Hogg and her unborn child took place on Monday, February 19 at the location where she was found. Family, friends, and community members came together to grieve their loss.
An autopsy was scheduled for this week to ascertain the cause of death in hopes of uncovering the circumstances of this tragic event.
Currently, no suspects have been identified in Hogg’s death. The investigation is ongoing, with authorities withholding further details.
The Broken Link Foundation and local authorities are calling on anyone with information about Hogg’s disappearance and death to come forward as the search for answers and justice continues.
