The family of Shaylee Snyder is desperately searching for answers after the teen was found dead in Indianapolis. According to the girl’s family, she had been missing for nearly two weeks before her body was found. They say they never stopped looking for the teen.
But now that Snyder has been found dead, her family has more questions than answers. Police are still investigating what could have happened to the teen, but her family fears that it will be too little, too late.
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The 15-year-old girl was declared a runaway on February 10, 2025, Fox 59 reported. On February 22, she was found dead near train tracks on the west side of the city. In addition to her body, a burning 2016 black Chevrolet sedan was nearby.
Members of the girl’s family spoke with the news outlet, saying they suspect foul play. “She was lured into something that she probably shouldn’t have been,” said her aunt, who chose to remain nameless. “It’s so gut wrenching.”
Currently, the Indianapolis Metro Police Department considers Snyder’s case a death investigation, not a homicide. That could change, however, after the coroner finishes the autopsy.
“We figure the car that was found burning had something to do with her death,” her grandfather added.
Snyder’s family is placing the blame for her death solely on the police department. They believe police didn’t take the girl’s disappearance seriously and that maybe if they had, she’d have been found alive.
Since the girl went missing, her family has been sharing missing person flyers, alerting the community. In a statement, the police department shared that detectives met with Snyder’s family on February 12, Fox 59 reported. Her family did tell police that the teen had left without her cellphone, which meant she couldn’t be tracked.
Authorities gathered all the information the family had, and none of it led them to believe the teen was in danger.
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Snyder’s mom told the Indianapolis Star that she believes the police department dismissed the case and that it “dropped the ball” finding her daughter. When the newspaper questioned the police department about whether it released any information about Snyder’s disappearance, no answer was given. Instead, officials reiterated that the case was still being investigated.
“We feel like if we could’ve gotten some help and been on this a little more she might’ve been found before it got this deep,” her grandfather told Fox 59.
Snyder’s aunt, Alissa Clark, has created a GoFundMe page to help the family as they grieve the loss. The girl’s mother had to take off of work during the search for her, and funds will reportedly be used for the funeral and other bills.
