Woman’s charges upgraded to murder after girl found in trunk, officials say

According to warrants released to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution after Motes appeared in court, she is accused of causing the child’s death through blunt force trauma and “exposing” the victim to fentanyl, methamphetamine and xylazine at a location in Flowery Branch.

The victim’s right arm was broken, and she had multiple bruises and pattern injuries, the warrants stated.

On the day the child’s body was found, Motes was seen by her father driving a Nissan sedan into the parking lot of a Sam’s Club and Walmart Supercenter on Mundy Mill Road in Oakwood, about 15 minutes south of Gainesville, according to an arrest warrant charging her with concealing the death of another. There, she spoke with her father, telling him that she “hurt (redacted content)” and “I think she is dead,” the warrant stated.

Her father then drove her away from the parking lot and they eventually encountered law enforcement, officials wrote in the warrant.

Authorities have not said how Motes is connected to the child.

However, an incident report stated that a 911 caller, whose identity was not released, reported that “a mother contacted family members about some type of injury involving her child.” The new warrants also identify Motes as “a person supervising the welfare of or having immediate charge or custody of a child.”

The child’s remains “were later found in the trunk of the Nissan sedan,” which authorities said was registered to Motes, the warrant stated.

The GBI was asked by the Oakwood Police Department to take over the investigation because the incident involves multiple jurisdictions, the department told the AJC. The agency said the case remains active.