One year ago today, the remains of 18-year-old Ebby Steppach were discovered in a West Little Rock park. After Ebby disappeared in 2015, her family mounted a campaign to find her, and on May 22, 2018, her remains were discovered inside a drainage pipe in Chalamont Park.

Steppach’s remains were found not far from where her 2003 Volkswagen Passat was discovered in 2015. The crime, which is classified as homicide, is still an open and active case according to the Little Rock Police Department.

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At the time of her disappearance, Steppach was an 18-year-old student at Little Rock Central High School. She had been living away from home, staying with friends and other family. However, she contacted her stepfather and told him that she had allegedly been sexually assaulted by four male individuals. Her older half-brother, Trevor, later called Ebby. She reportedly sounded disoriented and said at first that she was in front of Trevor’s house and later that she only knew that she was in her car.

This phone call was the last time anyone would hear from Ebby.

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In the years following, Steppach’s mother Laurie Jernigan remained steadfast in her search for Ebby. She attracted worldwide attention to the case by appearing on Nancy Grace and Dr. Phil.

In addition, AY Magazine ran a three-part series on Steppach in 2017.

The Little Rock Police Department’s cold-case unit discovered the human remains during a follow-up visit to Chalamont Park. According to LRPD spokesperson Steve Moore in a statement to the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, the discovery was motivated by “gut instinct” and was not produced by a tip.

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Since the discovery of Ebby’s remains, Jernigan has been using what she’s learned in her experiences to help other families and provide support.

“Now that it’s final, it’s moved to a whole different world of having a deceased daughter. It’s different now. It truly is grieving. There’s realizing that there’s an obituary. I’ve got a daughter I’m never going to see on this earth again. It’s completely final,” Jernigan told AY.

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