Teen girl found dead close to home after ‘suspicious’ disappearance, Oregon cops say

Update: Milana Li’s death was ruled a homicide, the Beaverton Police Department said in a May 11 news release. Police said they are “following up on several leads in this case,” but that they do not believe there’s a “continued threat” to the community.

The original story appears below.

A 13-year-old girl was found dead in an Oregon park under what police say are “suspicious” circumstances.

Milana Li was first reported as a runaway at 1:12 p.m. on May 9, the Beaverton Police Department said. The next day, police said they responded to a call at around 3 p.m. and found Li’s body in a small stream in Westside Linear Park.

The park is less than a mile from Li’s home, Oregon Live reported.

According to police, Li was last seen near her apartment complex at around 4 p.m. on May 8. She was wearing plaid pajama pants, a dark sweatshirt and Converse shoes, police said in the news release.

Li spoke Russian and struggled with English, her second language, police said. She carried a cellphone that was likely off, and her mother said her daughter was not familiar with TriMet, the area’s public transportation system, police said.

The investigation into Li’s death is ongoing, and anyone with information that may help police is asked to call Detective Cindy Herring at 503-526-2280.

Conestoga Middle School, where Li was a student, said it would have extra counselors on hand to support students and staff in the wake of her death, KATU reported.

In a letter to the community, Principal Zan Hess asked everyone to keep Li’s family in their thoughts, the outlet reported.

“There are no words to express the grief of losing a child,” Zan Hess said, according to Oregon Live.

This story was originally published May 11, 2022 at 2:01 PM with the headline "Teen girl found dead close to home after ‘suspicious’ disappearance, Oregon cops say."