Former Georgia cop arrested on suspicion of covering up death of missing 16-year-old girl

A former Georgia police officer has been arrested and charged with covering up the death of a 16-year-old girl who went missing more than six months ago, according to official reports.

Miles Bryant, 22, who worked for the Doraville Police Department, has been charged with covering up the death of another person and falsely reporting a crime, Gwinnett County police said. The remains of the girl, Susana Morales, were discovered last week after she was reported missing in July.

The Gwinnett Police Department is conducting a criminal investigation but has reported the situation to the Doraville police. Bryant is being held at the Gwinnett Detention Center without bail. He is expected to appear in court for the first time on Tuesday morning.

On Monday, the city of Doraville released a statement saying it became aware of Bryant’s allegations.

“On the afternoon of Monday, February 13, the City of Doraville was notified that the Gwinnett Police Department had served an arrest warrant for a now former police officer in connection with the disappearance and murder of Susana Morales,” the statement said. “The City of Doraville and its police department are fully cooperating with the Gwinnett Police Department in investigating Mr. Bryant. Our prayers go out to the family and friends of Susana Morales and all those affected by this tragedy.”

Last week, the Gwinnet County Medical Examiner’s Office identified the human remains as Morales. She was first reported missing by her family at the end of July.

Members of the Morales family alerted police that they had not seen her since July 26. According to detectives, Morales texted her mother at 9:40 pm that night to let her know she was on her way to their home on Windscape Village Lane in Norcross.

Officials said an app on Morales’ mobile phone confirmed she was walking in that direction between 10:07 pm and 10:21 pm. But detectives said they suspect she may have gotten into the car instead.

According to detectives, her phone pinged the Oak Loch Trace and Steve Reynolds Boulevard area between 10:21 p.m. and 10:26 p.m. that night before it either disconnected or went offline. Morales never returned home.

Police responded Feb. 6 in the area between Drowning Creek and Barrow County after someone reported seeing what they suspected were human remains in the woods.

Gwinnett’s medical examiner’s office then checked the remains and concluded that the DNA matched Morales’ dental records.