Arrest made in slaying of 11-year-old girl reported missing

Investigators work at the scene where the body of 11-year-old Abbiegail “Abbie” Smith was found Thursday, July 13, 2017, in Keansburg, N.J. Authorities in New Jersey say the11-year-old girl reported missing was found dead near her apartment complex, and police are investigating her death as a homicide. (Patti Sapone/NJ Advance Media via AP)

FREEHOLD, NJ (AP) – Authorities have arrested an 18-year-old neighbor in the slaying of an 11-year-old New Jersey girl who had been reported missing.

The Monmouth County prosecutor has charged Andreas Erazo with murder in the death of Abbiegail Smith. Erazo is expected to make a court appearance on Friday afternoon.

Abbie’s body was found Thursday morning near the apartment building where she lived in Keansburg. The prosecutor says Erazo lived in an upstairs apartment.

She was last seen in her apartment around 7:45 p.m. Wednesday and reported missing by her mother about an hour later.

The prosecutor had described it as an “isolated crime.”

Authorities are awaiting autopsy results to determine how the girl died.

No other information is available.