Shivangi Sinha
In July 2022, Susana Morales’ family was waiting for her to return home in Norcross, Virginia. When it was time for her to be home nd she was not back, they grew worried and reported her missing. Months passed, and it was only in February 2023 that the police found the 16–year–old girl’s remains. She was the victim of a violent homicide. Her family, especially her mother, Marie Bran, and her sister, Jasmine Perex, made sure the perpetrator, Miles Bryant, received the strongest possible punishment. In ABC’s ‘20/20: Tracking Susana,’ the two of them speak about the most difficult period of their life and how it impacted them for a very long time.
Susana Morales’ Family Demanded Accountability From Greenville PD After Her Passing
Maria Bran and Florentino Morales had raised their three daughters in Norcross, Georgia. Jasmine Perez had always been very close to her youngest sister, and their home was a happy one. On July 26, 2022, Susana left their apartment on Windscape Village Lane and went to the Sterling Glen Apartments area to spend time with some of her friends. The walk back was just about 10 minutes, but she never made it home. Her family has said that they tried to report her missing immediately, but the police allegedly told them they would have to wait 36 hours.
The months that followed were very tough for Maria, Jasmine, and the rest of the family. In February 2023, when her remains were found, Jasmine made a statement in which she said that it was very hard for them to accept the truth, but it also brought them some peace to know that Susana had been found and could be laid to rest. She added that she and her family wanted more answers, which they believed would only come from the suspect, Miles Bryant. In March 2023, Jasmine and Maria made another statement to the press, saying they demanded accountability from the Doraville Police Department for hiring Bryant as a courtesy officer.
In their statement, they said that Bryant’s alleged violent history and red flags had been allegedly ignored, and that it had resulted in a crime that led to Susana’s death. For Jasmine, Maria, and the rest of the family, the fight for a conviction became even stronger. They said their suspicions about Bryant, which they had from the beginning, had been allegedly ignored by the officers. They wanted to see him brought to trial and to finally get the many answers they had been waiting for for years.
Susana Morales’ Family is Working Towards Building a Park in Her Name Today
In June 2024, when Miles Bryant was brought to trial, both Jasmine Perez and Maria Bran took the stand. Jasmine spoke about how her mother had lost a lot of weight due to the grief she had endured and the impact it had on their family. Maria also shared how the family had spent months searching for their beloved Susana and how frightening that time was for them. At his sentencing, Bryant apologized to the family in court. Jasmine delivered a victim impact statement in which she said she would never be able to forgive him.
Jasmine added, “Everything we did will never bring her back, but knowing that we did justice for our sister will bring us peace.” Maria had a translator who communicated on her behalf as she thanked the jury and the judge for sentencing him. In April 2024, Florentino Morales filed a civil lawsuit against the apartment complex where Susana disappeared, alleging negligence. However, Maria and Jasmine have not been named as defendants in the lawsuit. The family also planned to build a park in Susana’s memory in Gwinnett County and is likely working to make it a reality.
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