In the early morning hours of Monday, July 15, 2024, the body of 16-year-old Mia Campos was discovered in a wooded area along Stephens Road in Loganville, Georgia, about 30 miles east of Atlanta.
Campos, who was seven months pregnant, had been reported missing by her family the night before. Her ex-boyfriend, 20-year-old Jesus Monroy, has been arrested for providing false statements to the police during the investigation. The suspect was the father of the unborn child.
Campos’ family became alarmed when she failed to return home after leaving with an unknown individual. Using a cellphone tracking app, they located her body face down in the woods. “It was hard. I knew something was wrong, her lips and her bleeding nose. They murdered my baby,” her father, Edward Campos, tearfully told Fox 5 Atlanta.
The Gwinnett County Police Department (GCPD) responded to the family’s 911 call and initiated an investigation. An autopsy conducted by the Gwinnett Medical Examiner’s Office confirmed that Campos’ death was a homicide. Details surrounding her death remain unclear, and no official cause has been released.
Monroy was taken into custody on Wednesday, July 17. “During his interview, investigators determined he lied, and he was arrested in connection to providing false statements to a police officer,” said Sgt. Collin Flynn of the GCPD.
Mia’s parents noted that Monroy had been staying with their family for the two days leading up to the incident. Her mother said she was shocked at his arrest since he had been helping the family look for her, and found her body. Despite his arrest, Monroy has not been named a suspect in the homicide case, and police continue to explore all leads.
Campos’ parents and friends have erected a makeshift memorial at the site where her body was found. They remain heartbroken and seek answers about her death.
A GoFundMe page has been created by her mother, Miriam Zarate, to help cover funeral expenses for Mia and her unborn son. “With all my heart, I ask you for help to give her and her baby a dignified burial,” she wrote on the fundraising page. The page has generated over $13,000.
The investigation is ongoing, and authorities urge anyone with information about the crime to come forward.
