By ROBIN SHANNON

L’Observateur

LAPLACE — Authorities in St. John the Baptist Parish have started a homicide investigation Sunday after a 15-year-old LaPlace girl was found dead inside her home.

The girl’s mother, Gaylyn Adams, called deputies at about 6:30 a.m. Sunday when she found her daughter, identified by the coroner as Taylor Adams, unresponsive in her bedroom, said Capt. Dane Clement, public information officer for the Sheriff’s Office.

Clement said the mother told deputies when she returned home from work she found her daughter lifeless and covered in blood. The mother said she had not spoken to her daughter since 9 p.m. Saturday.

Clement said evidence at the scene indicated the victim sustained blunt force trauma to the head. St. John the Baptist Parish Coroner Dr. Christy Montegut said Taylor Adams may have been beaten to death with a frying pan.

Clement said detectives suspect the incident took place sometime after 1 a.m. Sunday. The girl, who attended school at Riverside Academy in Reserve, was home alone at the time of the incident and there were no signs of forced entry.

Any one with information regarding this incident should call the St. John Sheriff’s Office at 985-652-6338 or Crimestoppers at 504-822-1111.