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Girl, 6, found slain in her Albuquerque-area home has connections to Wimauma

 
Ariana "Jade" Romeo was killed in Rio Rancho, N.M. Money is being raised to bring her to Florida to be buried. [GoFundMe]
Ariana "Jade" Romeo was killed in Rio Rancho, N.M. Money is being raised to bring her to Florida to be buried. [GoFundMe]
Published Aug. 19, 2018

The family of a 6-year-old girl found dead in New Mexico last weekend is trying to bring her remains to Wimauma.

Court documents say the body of Ariana "Jade" Romeo was found at her home in Rio Rancho north of Albuquerque on bloody sheets with marijuana and medications nearby. Rio Rancho police say they're investigating the death as a homicide and an autopsy will determine the cause.

Angelea Torn, describing herself as a friend of the family, is hoping to raise $15,000 for transportation and funeral expenses on GoFundMe to bring the girl to Wimauma to be buried. The page says her biological father and his family live in the south Hillsborough County community.

No arrests have been made in the case. Assisted by the FBI, detectives have searched the home and conducted interviews with people who live there.

The Albuquerque Journal reported that the girl was not wearing pants or underwear and had "damage" to her genitals when police arrived. The newspaper also reported that authorities had been called to the Rio Rancho home 26 times since 2009.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.