Cheerleader, 13, Found Dead in Woods After Vanishing from Home Overnight

Mar. 15, 2025

Savannah Copeland.Photo:GoFundMe; Powell MAC Cheerleading/Facebook

GoFundMe; Powell MAC Cheerleading/Facebook

Police arrested 15-year-old Malakiah Lamar Harris in connection with her death, and charged him with second-degree murder, per the statement.

Harris appeared in court this week as prosecutors announced they plan to try him as an adult, per6 Newsand10 News. A judge has set Jan. 14 as the date for that hearing, per 6 News.

Savannah Copeland.Powell MAC Cheerleading/Facebook

Powell MAC Cheerleading/Facebook

The victim’s father, Michael Copeland, told8 WVLTthat Savannah had been missing for several hours before her body was found. He had grown concerned when she reportedly disappeared from her house overnight and was not in contact with him, he said.

He then tracked her using cell phone information and found her body in the woods, per the outlet.

It wasn’t immediately clear how the two might have known each other.

“I think it was a lack of compassion and a lack of empathy that drove the hand that took my daughter’s life,” Michael told 8 WVLT. He says he wants the juvenile suspect to be tried as an adult.

Savannah Copeland.GoFundMe

GoFundMe

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She was a talented student who loved scary movies and excelled in gymnastics, karate and cheerleading, part of her obituary reads. She aspired to study forensic anthropology in college.

“Her beautiful smile lit up the room,” read another part of the obituary. Her father described her to 8 WVLT as a teen with “spunkiness, eagerness, and kind of a go getter attitude.”

PEOPLE was not able to immediately reach Harris' attorney.

source: people.com