Discovery of 'body' in search for missing woman in Gary was a mannequin, police say

GARY — Police in Northwest Indiana say the discovery of what was initially believed to be a body in the search for a missing 23-year-old woman on Sunday was actually a "lifelike mannequin," ABC 7 Chicago reported.

A NIPSCO (Northern Indiana Public Service Company) found the life-sized silicone or rubber doll at first thought to be the body possibly connected with the disappearance of Ariana Taylor, who has been missing for more than a week, ABC 7 reported.

Last weekend, Taylor's SUV was found crashed and badly damaged near the junction of Interstate 80/94 and Interstate 65 in Lake County. Since the car was empty, investigators can't even be sure Taylor was driving it at the time of the crash, ABC 7 reported.

"It did not look like that individual used the brakes at all. Went down into a ravine and came to a stop, and had flat tires. Was she being chased? Was she just intoxicated? We're not sure," Gary police Cmdr. Jack Hamady told ABC 7.

Taylor's mother told ABC 7 she has a 4-year-old son. Taylor's family say they believed foul play is involved.

Taylor is described as a Black woman, 5 feet and 6 inches tall and 200 pounds. She was last seen wearing a red sweater, ripped blue jeans and gym shoes.

If you have any information about her whereabouts contact Detective Sergeant Mark Salazar at 219-881-1209 or the Gary police crime tip line at 866-CRIME-GP.