Cobb County police continue investigating the deaths as loved ones remember a mother working to build a stable life for her young daughter.
COBB COUNTY, Ga. — Police are investigating the deaths of a mother and her 2-year-old daughter found inside a vehicle near Milford Baptist Church on Sunday, October 25. Local reporting has described the deaths as a suspected murder-suicide, although authorities have not publicly confirmed that determination.
Cobb County officers responded around 10:45 a.m. to Milford Church Road in the unincorporated Marietta area after receiving a report of a woman suffering from a gunshot wound inside a vehicle. Officers found the woman and her daughter with fatal injuries. Police said there were no other suspects and that the investigation remained active.
Family members identified the mother as 31-year-old Abria Spriggs. Her great-uncle, James Kennedy, told reporters that investigators had informed the family they believed Spriggs killed her daughter before taking her own life, according to the New York Post’s account of an interview with 11Alive. Police had not publicly released the victims’ names in the statements reviewed for this report.
People who knew the family described a mother working to establish stability while facing housing and childcare difficulties. Jessica Veasley told FOX 5 Atlanta that she met the mother through a transitional outreach initiative associated with Milford Baptist Church. Veasley said the mother was working two jobs and trying to find daycare, and that she last saw her on Saturday morning.
“It was so hurtful. It’s hurtful, and it’s sad,” Veasley told the station. She remembered the young daughter fondly and encouraged people to check on loved ones who may be experiencing hardships.
Kennedy said Spriggs had recently moved from Augusta to the Atlanta area and that he had not known she was experiencing homelessness. He told reporters he would have offered help had he understood her circumstances. The family’s account of her housing situation has not been independently confirmed by police, and authorities have not announced what led to the deaths.
Available reports identified Spriggs as the mother of the 2-year-old girl found with her, but did not indicate that she had any additional children.
The family’s connection to the church also remains unconfirmed by authorities. While Veasley described meeting the mother through church-related outreach, police have not publicly established whether the mother and daughter were members of the congregation.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the Cobb County Police Department’s Major Crimes Unit at 770-499-3945, referencing case 26069291.
Support is available for anyone experiencing suicidal thoughts or emotional distress. In the United States, call 988, text 988, or use the 988 Lifeline online chat.