Local

Family: Tattoos on body found by I-295 match that of missing Jacksonville woman

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — PHOTOS: Images released in 1998 Jacksonville baby abduction case 

Jacksonville police are working to identify a body found along Interstate 295 on the Westside on Monday.

The remains were discovered just around the corner from Walmart on Collins Road, where missing mother Brandi Mershell was last seen two weeks ago.

Action News Jax’s Christy Turner spoke with Linda McClamma, Mershell’s mother, earlier in the day on Monday. At the time, she said she was hopeful her daughter would come home.

She said she was trying to stay positive for her daughter’s two children, ages 12 and 4, but now she is fearing the worst.

Officers on scene said Monday afternoon they are working to figure out how the body got there, as well as how the victim died.

Police have not yet released the identity of the body found, but McClamma called Turner just hours after they spoke to say police came to her home to tell her they think they found her daughter’s body.

Earlier Monday, McClamma said she was worried sick.

“My baby can't be gone. She just can't be gone. She's got her kids to raise,” McClamma said. “It's just tearing me up.”

McClamma they are waiting on autopsy results from the medical examiner’s office, but detectives told her the tattoos on the body match the ones that Mershell has.

Follow @ActionNewsJax on Twitter and watch CBS47 at 5 for the latest information.

WATCH LIVE: Traffic on I-295 after body found

Body found on side of I-295 in Jacksonville

We will have the LATEST on what we know at CBS47 at 5. BODY FOUND ON I-295: This is right before the Collins Road exit. We are working to learn if foul play is suspected: http://bit.ly/2GRQwkY

Posted by Action News Jax on Monday, February 5, 2018