Newly unsealed court documents have revealed harrowing new details regarding the death of 14-year-old La’Niyah Clark, whose body was discovered in February after she went missing in January. According to a recently unsealed affidavit, a cooperating witness told investigators they were inside Bobbiejo Etzel’s room at the Extended Stay America hotel in Plains Township while police were conducting a search for the missing teen on January 20. Although officers were given permission by Etzel to "look inside the room," they failed to locate Clark because she was reportedly hiding behind a dresser. The witness alleged that both they and Etzel were fully aware of Clark’s missing person status and actively concealed her from law enforcement.
Bobbiejo Etzel, Clark’s biological aunt, is scheduled for a preliminary hearing this morning in Luzerne County. She faces multiple charges, including criminal homicide, kidnapping, and abuse of a corpse. Prosecutors allege that after concealing Clark for several weeks in violation of a Protection from Abuse order, Etzel eventually tied the teen up, locked her in a closet, and fatally asphyxiated her with a plastic bag on February 11. Authorities say Etzel’s motive was a "paranoia" that she would be arrested for the PFA violation if discovered with the girl. Clark’s body was later found unclothed behind a garage in South Wilkes-Barre.
