Burial This Week For Missing Girl Found Six Years Ago

A Woodruff County grandmother will finally bury her 12-year old grandchild Saturday, after years of unanswered questions. Ashley Johnson disppeared from her home in Cotton Plant in 1998. Her body was found months later in an abandoned farmhouse. Lottie Harlston knew something was very wrong back in July 1998. "She was either dead or somebody had her and wouldn`t let her go," said Harlston of her granddaughter, Ashley. Ashley left their home that month, but never returned. Harlston says she told the Cotton Plant Police, who said they`d look out for her. "I`d be, at night, up and down these streets, thinking maybe I`d see her," Harlston said. A mile and a half down the road from Ashley`s house, farmworkers found skeletal remains in an abandoned farmhouse. That house is gone now and old home appliances remain in the yard. "It hit my mind it was her. The reason: she was the only child that was missing here in Cotton Plant," Harlston said. But only recently did the state finally confirm what Ashley`s family says they`d known for a long time. "They told her it was Ashely and we are concerned as to why it was never investigated," said Aza Lee Harlston-Word, Lottie`s step-daughter. Harltson and her family say they still don`t have a death certificate or a copy of any DNA report. They also don`t know how Ashley died, whether or not the child was a victim of murder. "It needs to be known in a small town like this. It needs to be known who killed a child," said Harlston-Word. So many questions remain, but they cling to what answers they do have. "As of now, she`s gone, but never will be forgotten. But I guess we can put it to rest a whole lot better, knowing it is her," said Harlston. "They`re grateful to at least have this small sense of closure, in finally burying their precious Ashley. State Police say they identified Ashley`s remains a few days ago through mitochondrial DNA testing at the FBI Crime Lab in Virginia. It took so long because they couldn`t get a positive match and the crime lab can get pretty backlogged. Investigators also recently found Ashley`s father, which helped them match his DNA against hers. State Police say even though they`ve identified Ashley`s remains, they don`t know how she died, but they do suspect foul play. Ashley would have graduated from high school this year.