Jenzele Couassi missing Marysville, Washington state teen struggling with mental health issues found dead along tribal lands. Cause of death yet to be determined as friends and family gather for vigil.
A teenage ‘indigenous’ girl in Washington state struggling with mental health issues who went missing Friday night was found dead on Monday morning.
Jenzele Couassi, 16, was last seen near Shoultes Road in North Marysville at around 5pm on Friday.
Her family had been concerned for her well-being after she disappeared, saying that the teenager had been struggling with her mental health.
Found dead along tribal reservation
Tulalip Tribal Police Department said that she was found in a tidal area where the Tulalip Bay meets Battle Creek.
The official cause of death will be released by the local medical examiner at a later date.
Marysville detectives, along with officers from Tulalip Police Department and members of the Snohomish County Search & Rescue Team, had been searching for the 16-year-old throughout the weekend, deploying two Search and Rescue K9 teams along with a Marysville PD drone.
Marysville detectives were alerted to the recovery of a body on the Tulalip Reservation.
On Monday, dozens turned out for a vigil in memory of the teenager held in the parking lot of a nearby center.
@jenzelematerial girllll♬ Unforgettable
Much beloved
While Couassi was not a tribal member, the local tribe wrapped her parents in blankets and sang traditional songs as if she was part of the community.
Images taken at the vigil show dozens of fellow teenagers and the local community holding candles and embracing each other.
Friend Kaysie Collins wrote a letter to Couassi, telling Fox13: ‘I wrote it like I was talking to her. She had such a big heart and such a kind soul.
‘Me and her used to ride scooters from her house, and we’d always go see the sunset and look at the water.’
Added another friend Amari Flores: ‘We had dreams of turning 18 and raising our kids together as best friends.
‘I have a necklace with her that has a star and a moon on it, and she had the moon one and I have the star one.’
Hundreds attended a vigil for Jenzele Couassi, a Marysville teen who was found deceased near the Tulalip Youth Center Monday morning. #fox13 #fox13seattle #seattle #seattlenews #tulalip @fox13seattle pic.twitter.com/wbVRZikMV2
— Jennifer Dowling (@JenDowlingNews) April 23, 2024
Cause of death to be determined
An online fundraiser was launched to help Couassi’s family with funeral expenses.
The GoFundMe says it hopes to raise enough fund to cover funeral expenses, with the rest going to help her family.
In a statement, Tulalip Police Department said: ‘Sadly, the deceased person found near the Tulalip Teen Center has been identified as Jenzele Couassi.
‘It is devastating to lose any community member, particularly such a young person.
‘Tulalip participated in her search over the weekend, provided support and will continue to cooperate with local agencies to assist in any way we can.’
