She never left the house alive, despite what **Charla Pendergrass** told police. **London Thomas**, a bright and loving 17-year-old, was dropped off at her boyfriend **Jalen Pendergrass’s** home on **April 5**—and that was the last time her family saw her alive. For weeks, her disappearance haunted her loved ones, who clung to hope even as clues began pointing toward tragedy.Investigators say Jalen, 23, and his mother, Charla, 49, are now charged with **second-degree murder** and
*tampering with evidence** after London’s body was found **stuffed inside a sealed plastic bin** hidden in an **SUV** parked near the Pendergrass residence. According to police, Charla initially told detectives that London had left their home that afternoon and never returned. But **surveillance footage, cellphone data, and forensic evidence** contradicted her story, showing that London never exited the property.
By **April 11**, Charla allegedly enlisted someone to **help move the bin containing London’s body** into the vehicle, where it remained concealed for days as police and volunteers searched for the missing teenager. The gruesome discovery brought a devastating end to an already heart-wrenching mystery.
Court documents reveal that investigators found signs of a violent struggle inside the home. Jalen and Charla were arrested after inconsistencies in their statements surfaced, and both are being held without bond.Family members describe London as a kind, artistic young woman with dreams of attending college and a future that should have been bright. “
She was only 17—she had her whole life ahead of her,” one relative said through tears.The case has left the community outraged and heartbroken, with many calling for justice for London and tougher penalties for those who conceal violent crimes. For her grieving family, closure comes only with truth—and accountability for the life so cruelly stolen.
