4-year-old’s remains found in woman’s trunk in Hall County, warrant says

A woman was arrested Sunday after the remains of a child were found in the trunk of her car in Hall County, court documents reveal.

Jessica Maria Motes, 36, was booked into the Hall County jail and remained there Thursday without bond. She is facing a charge of felony concealing the death of another.

According to an arrest warrant, Motes was seen by her father driving a Nissan sedan into the parking lot of a Sam’s Club and Walmart Supercenter on Mundy Mill Road in Oakwood, about 15 minutes south of Gainesville. There, she spoke with her father, telling him that she “hurt (redacted content)” and “I think she is dead,” the warrant states.

Her father then drove her away from the parking lot and they eventually encountered law enforcement, officials wrote in the warrant.

Authorities have not said how Motes is connected to the child. However, an incident report states that a 911 caller, whose identity was not released, reported that “a mother contacted family members about some type of injury involving her child.”

The remains of the 4-year-old girl “were later found in the trunk of the Nissan sedan,” the warrant states. Authorities said the vehicle was registered to Motes.

The child’s cause of death was not provided.