Laura O'Malley of Queens, New York, was 13 years old when she ran away from her family home in 1975.
Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s OfficeFor now, many questions about Laura O’Malley remain, including how she died.
In 1995, skeletal remains were discovered in Watsonville, California. At first, authorities thought the body was part of a “homestead burial” left behind by an early settler who’d lost a family member. However, DNA testing has now revealed that the bones belong to a teenage girl who disappeared in 1975.
The girl, Laura O’Malley, was 13 years old when she was reported missing in Queens, New York. Although the discovery of her remains has offered some closure to her family, many questions remain, including how Laura got to California — and how she died.
Identifying The Remains Found In A California Riverbed
According to a press release from the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office, Laura O’Malley’s skeletal remains were found in a riverbed off Highway 129 in Watsonville, California, on March 22, 1995.
Ronbo76/Wikimedia CommonsThe Pajaro River, where Laura O’Malley’s remains were found in 1995.
At first, it was unknown who the corpse belonged to. DNA testing was able to establish that the remains were female, but a lack of technology prevented any deeper investigation.
Then, in 2019, the case was re-examined. Using forensic testing, including carbon dating, investigators were able to learn more about the remains. They found that they likely belonged to someone who had been born in the 1960s and died sometime between 1977 and 1984.
However, the real breakthrough in the case came between 2022 and 2023. Then, investigators were able to partner with Othram, a company that specializes in forensic DNA analysis. By studying the DNA from the skeleton, experts were able to give the deceased a name.
The body belonged to Laura O’Malley from Queens, New York. She had been missing since 1975, when she was just 13 years old.
What Happened To Laura O’Malley?
According to an article in the New York Daily News from 1978, Laura O’Malley first ran away because she didn’t get along with her stepfather. In fact, she and her siblings — two sisters and one brother — had all left their family home out of dislike for their mother’s husband. But while Laura’s siblings eventually returned home, she never did.
New York Daily News/Newspapers.comAn article about Laura O’Malley in the New York Daily News from 1978.
Laura even wrote her mother a note saying she would not return home as long as her stepfather was there. So, when her mother finally left the man, Laura’s family desperately tried to get in touch with her to let her know. But by then, Laura O’Malley had vanished. Although her siblings passed out her photograph across New York City, hoping to track her down and bring her home, they could find no trace of the missing teen.
As such, many questions remain about what happened to Laura O’Malley back in 1975. When she left home, where did she go? How did she make her way to California? And what happened to the teenager once she arrived there?
For investigators, the case is far from over. They’ve encouraged anyone who may have any information about the case to reach out to the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office.
“We are deeply grateful for our partnership with Othram and the use of forensic advancements that have provided long-awaited answers to Laura’s family,” the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office said in their statement. “The circumstances surrounding her death are still under investigation.”
After reading about the missing New York teen whose skeletal remains were found in California, go inside some of the most haunting unsolved missing persons cases of all time. Or, discover the chilling story of Karlie Gusé, the 16-year-old who vanished without a trace after walking away from her home in Chalfant Valley, California, in 2018.
