Tragic update: Decomposed body found in canal confirmed as missing school teacher

The 41-year-old single mother Kameela Russell disappeared about two weeks ago.

Since then, family members have been desperate for her safe return.

Unfortunately, they will never get back their loved one.

A body found floating in a Miami Gardens canal has been confirmed as Kameela Russell, according to CBS Miami.

Kameela Russell was last seen May 15 in Miami, according to the local police.

Then, on Saturday afternoon, the remains of a human body were found in a Miami Gardens canal.

Two days after the decomposed body was found, the Miami-Dade Medical Examiner’s Office confirmed 41-year-old Kameela Russell as the deceased.

A verification of death certificate reveals the autopsy shows Russell died from blunt head injury.

Youtube / 7 News Miami

The case has been classified as a homicide.

Donna Blyden, Russell’s aunt, was the last one to see her. She saw Russell’s black Audi pull into her driveway to pick up her daughter to take her to gymnastics class.

According to investigators, Kameela disappeared from the driveway of her aunt’s home, less than a block away from where her body was found.

“When I looked again five minutes after, she didn’t come in, that’s when I got worried,” the aunt said.

“Crazy to see”

One of the men who found the body described how he felt when he saw the decomposed body.

“It was crazy to see just a life, you know, just gone, wasted, just laying there decomposing,” the man told 7 News Miami.

Late Wednesday morning, detectives arrived to the home of loved ones to deliver the heartbreaking news.

“We just hanging in there as expected,” a man at the home said.

Russell was a teacher at Miami Norland Senior High School.

Statement from her school

A statement by Miami-Dade County Public Schools reads, “Miami-Dade County Public Schools (M-DCPS) is deeply saddened about the painful and shocking news involving the passing of a Miami Norland Senior High School teacher. All available counseling resources will be deployed to the school immediately to assist students and staff during this extremely difficult time. School district staff and Miami-Dade Schools Police will continue to work with the Miami Gardens Police Department, which has been handling this case since the employee’s disappearance from her home. The entire M-DCPS family is heartbroken. We ask that the community join us as we keep Kameela Russell’s loved ones in our prayers.”

Miami-Dade County Public Schools Superintendent Alberto Carvalho also tweeted about the tragedy.

My sincerest condolences to the family.

May justice be served for this beautiful young lady. R.I.P.