NORCROSS, GA – The disturbing case of a missing 8-year-old girl from Gwinnett County has ended with her mother admitting responsibility in her murder, authorities announced this week.
Brittany Hall, 31, pleaded guilty to felony murder along with a string of related charges, including multiple counts of child cruelty, concealing a death, and making false statements regarding the 2021 death of her daughter, Amari Hall. Following her guilty plea, Hall was sentenced to life in prison.
The investigation began in November 2021, after Hall called authorities claiming that her daughter had disappeared from a hotel room in Norcross while the family was staying there. Hall expressed urgent concern for Amari’s welfare, stating that the autistic child was missing when she awoke.
A large-scale search for Amari was launched, and alerts were issued. Hall and her girlfriend, Celeste Owens, who had also been staying in the hotel, told police that Amari must have wandered off during the night. However, suspicions were raised as the investigation unfolded, especially in light of conflicting statements and a pattern of disturbing internet searches found on the pair’s devices.
Prosecutors revealed in court that, on the day Amari was reported missing, Hall and Owens searched for terms like “What to do when a child just doesn’t listen,” “lakes near me,” and “how do I report someone missing.” The searches suggested premeditation and an effort to find ways to dispose of evidence and mislead investigators.
The case took a turn when Amari’s younger sister, now 9, testified in court, recounting harrowing details of the abuse. According to her testimony, Hall suffocated Amari by stuffing toilet paper in her mouth, placed her in a container, and then drove her away in a car, referring to their destination as “the bad kid’s hospital.”
Authorities later discovered Amari’s body in a wooded area off Stone Mille Drive in DeKalb County, concealed in white trash bags and buried in a makeshift grave. Surveillance video presented in court during Owens’ trial showed her renting a U-Haul van and traveling toward the area where Amari’s remains were eventually recovered.
As investigators pieced together the truth, they determined that Hall and Owens not only provided false information to law enforcement but also subjected Amari’s siblings to abuse. Both women ultimately faced charges for their roles in the child’s death, with Owens already convicted last year.
Following the conclusion of the investigation, the surviving siblings were placed into state custody for their safety. Officials emphasized the tragic outcome of the case and the lasting impact on Amari’s brothers and sisters.
Authorities underscored that the coordinated efforts of law enforcement helped expose an attempt to conceal a violent crime behind the facade of a missing child case. The community continues to grapple with the aftermath as family members hope for healing for Amari’s siblings.
As the legal process comes to an end, both Hall and Owens have been held accountable for their actions, leaving a lasting mark on the Gwinnett County community.