Two Teenage Girls, Including Victim’s Adopted Daughter, Charged with Murder in Utah Stabbing Case
Two teenage girls, one of whom is the adopted daughter of the victim, have been charged with murder after a woman was found stabbed to death inside a vacation rental in Utah nearly two weeks ago, according to investigators.
The Washington City Police Department identified the suspects as 17-year-old Abigael Paige Flanagan, also known as "Jay," and 16-year-old Mihaela Gabriela Sorescu, also known as "Bella." Both have been charged in the murder of 47-year-old Andreea Mottram.
Mottram was discovered by house cleaners on March 23 inside a Washington City rental property. She had sustained over a dozen stab wounds to her upper body, police said.
Washington County Attorney Eric Clarke told FOX 13 that Flanagan and Sorescu are being charged as adults with murder and car theft. The teens allegedly stole Mottram’s rented vehicle and drove it back to California following the crime.
According to newly obtained court documents, authorities found probable cause to believe that Mottram was stabbed to death by Flanagan and/or Sorescu and that both are criminally responsible.
Police said Mottram had traveled to Washington City from California and had been staying at the rental property for three days before her body was discovered. Investigators noted there were no signs of forced entry, prompting them to initially name both teens as "persons of interest." Authorities believe they were the last people to see Mottram alive.
During a search of the rental home, detectives found phones in the toilet that officials said belonged to Flanagan and Sorescu, along with an ID inside a purse. Detectives stated that the items "appear to have been placed in the toilet and attempted to be flushed in an effort to conceal evidence and/or delay apprehension," according to court documents.
Several knives were also located inside the home, including one in the sink that had been washed but still had "trace amounts of blood." A pair of pants found in the home had blood on both legs and a "bloody imprint of a knife blade." Detectives believe the pants belonged to Sorescu based on their size.
Sorescu is Mottram’s adoptive daughter, FOX 13 first reported. Mottram had traveled to Utah with Flanagan days before her death to visit Sorescu, who had been in a Washington County residential treatment facility for the past three years. Flanagan had also been in a similar facility but was recently removed by her parents.
Court documents reveal that Sorescu’s father told police he discovered his daughter’s diary in November, in which she had written "how much she hated her mother and wrote that she wanted to kill her."
The day before her body was found, Mottram posted a selfie on her Facebook page with the caption, "This is… almost 48." Four days earlier, she shared the message, "The trouble is, you think you have time."
"The apprehension of both suspects is a crucial step in the investigation," the Washington City Police Department said in a statement. "However, the investigation team is currently following up on many aspects of the case. Again, our sincerest condolences go out to the family and friends of the victim of this senseless act of violence."
Flanagan and Sorescu are being held at the Dixie Area Detention Center in Washington County.
Mottram described herself on her Facebook page as a "Hospice social worker, Romanian living a Californian life, and mother in three special ways." She was also a co-founder of disability and refugee aid associations in the U.S. and Romania, including the Chicago-based American Romanian Coalition for Human and Equal Rights.
The organization posted on Facebook, "It is with deep sorrow that we mourn the loss of our beloved Andreea Mottram, a fierce advocate, a compassionate leader, and a dear friend to so many within our community. Like many of you, we are still in shock at this heartbreaking news. Andreea’s dedication to justice, equity, and human rights was not just a mission—it was the very essence of who she was."
Stepheny Price is a writer for Fox News Digital and Fox Business. She covers topics including missing persons, homicides, national crime cases, illegal immigration, and more. Story tips and ideas can be sent to [email protected].
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