Missing 16-year-old girl found fatally shot in Orange County was pregnant, deputies say

De’Shayla Ferguson was reported missing in August

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. – A missing 16-year-old girl found shot to death outside of an Orange County home last week was pregnant, according to the sheriff’s office.

The Orange County Sheriff’s Office told News 6 on Thursday that De’Shayla Ferguson — who was found dead next to a vehicle on Oct. 25 — was pregnant, though deputies did not say how far along she was. The teen was shot on Broken Pine Circle, just west of Hiawassee Road near Clarcona Ocoee Road.

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The girl had recently turned 16.

News 6 learned Ferguson was involved in a human trafficking case and was last seen leaving a Florida Department of Children and Families office in August, according to officials.

A missing persons report shows she visited the office on Aug. 12 as a transfer from Seminole County and was to be placed with a family before she appeared in court the following day. Workers said that Ferguson began arguing with staff at the office and left the facility.

According to the report, Ferguson was listed as missing, a ward of the state and a habitual runaway.

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Ferguson was also involved in a human trafficking case, the report said, but the Metropolitan Bureau of Investigation would not provide further details.

In a statement, a spokesperson said, “MBI uses the definition of Human Trafficking provided in (Florida Statute) 787.06. MBI will not be providing a comment on an investigation being conducted by the Orange County Sheriff’s Office.”

As of Thursday, no arrests have been made in the girl’s killing.

Anyone with information is asked to call the sheriff’s office or 911.


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About the Author:

Brenda Argueta is a digital journalist who joined ClickOrlando.com in March 2021. She is the author of the Central Florida Happenings newsletter that goes out every Thursday.

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