Najah Ferrell Update: Severed Foot Found In Pond Belongs To Missing Mother

A severed human foot fished out of an Indiana pond belonged to the missing woman Najah Ferrell, authorities said Thursday. The 30-year-old was last seen on March 15 at her home in Avon, a town of 17,000 people west of Indianapolis.

The remains were found in early April by a man who caught it while fishing in a northwest Indiana pond. The identification was confirmed by DNA analysis and comparison by the Indiana State Police Lab, Avon Police Department Deputy Chief Brian Nugent said.

During the search for the woman, officials found her car and various items that belonged to the mother of five. However, it still remains unclear what had happened to Ferrell.

"It's a very disturbing a case of this magnitude. A mother of 5 just simply vanishes. It doesn’t just happen on its own. Somebody has some involvement," Nugent said. In an email statement to local media, he added that detectives in the ongoing investigation “simply do not have additional information to share at this time.”

While giving some information about the severed foot, Nugent said a distinct tattoo on the appendage led investigators to believe it might have belonged to Ferrell. After the foot was found in April, police spent hours in searching the pond for more evidence, using divers, sonar and a drone. However, no other evidence linked to the case was found.

According to authorities, Ferrell was expected to start her third day of orientation for a new job at a Panera Bread location just hours after she disappeared.

“We’re convinced, this family is convinced, this community is convinced also, somebody knows something,” Nugent said in March. “So we are pleading to the public, that if you are that somebody who thinks they may know something … to help bring Najah home.”

As of Thursday, no suspects have been identified in the case, which investigators suspect involves foul play, Nugent said. As the investigation continues, police urged the public to contact Crime Stoppers Indiana at (371) 262-TIPS if they have any information.

Earlier in April, Ferrell's mother Paula Gholson said at a press conference that she hoped police bring closure to them and help prevent another tragedy from happening.

“I don’t want any, any of the mothers to ever, ever have to deal with anything like what happened to this young family because I miss her and she could be here with the boys,” Gholson said at the time. “Join together and do whatever it is that you can to help us because we are all one family.”

Ferrell has two biological children, as well as three foster children. Seeds of Life in Indianapolis, from where she fostered her kids, said in a statement: "On behalf of Seeds of Life, we’d like to thank the media, Avon Police Department, as well as, all other participating agencies for their diligent work. Our thoughts and prayers remain with Najah and her family. Although Najah has been fostering through our agency for only a short time, she made a positive impact on the children in her care. She was enthusiastic and passionate about fostering children."

"She made connections with other foster parents and was always open to providing guidance and support as they navigated through the foster care process. She not only provided care to the children placed in her home, but she assisted other foster families as well... Najah was someone who gave back to our community. She had a great working relationship with our staff and our Seeds of Life family. It takes a special person to open, not only their home, but also their heart to care for children in need of services. Our hearts remain heavy, but we are confident that someone in the community, a community in which she gave back to, will please come forward with information regarding Najah Ferrell," it added.