The teen was found last week near an abandoned car, which was parked in a debris-filled alley in westside Detroit. She had sustained multiple bullet wounds, and the black Chevy Malibu she was next to had been stolen a couple of days prior.

“Words can’t explain. My baby girl was right here,” the teen’s father, Jason Brown, said while visiting the alley in question.

“I know she couldn’t get away from these people. She ain’t do this,” he added. “She was forced to do it. She a kid, she a child.”

Brown was reported missing back on April 23 from Berkley, Michigan. While the teen originally hailed from Ohio, she recently relocated to Michigan to live with her aunt after her mother was killed last year.

However, just a few days after arriving in The Great Lake State, Brown ran away. While she was known to do so, she ultimately never returned after this last time.

15-year-old Janiya Brown had been missing from Berkley for two-and-a-half weeks. https://t.co/v6GuVeUO5s

— Local 4 WDIV Detroit (@Local4News) May 13, 2022

“We want to make sure that every kid returns safe home. If they’re having problems at home, we can work with those but right now, we’re having to grieve the loss of a young child,” Berkley Police detective Andrew Hadfield said.

He also noted that judging from social media posts, Brown appeared to be running with a dangerous crowd.

“There were certain posts where she was in vehicles traveling with other people with firearms, flashing guns in front of the camera,” Hadfield added.

Rudy Harper, Detroit’s Second Deputy Police Chief, noted that the case “is still an open and active investigation.”

“We offer our sincerest condolences to [Brown’s] family and friends. We are on the hunt for suspects and ask anyone with information to come forward,” Harper said.

“Investigators are following down any and all leads related to both the homicide and the carjacking. We’re in the early stages of that,” Detroit Police Commander Michael McGinnis added.