Pregnant mom found in ditch with her 'head bashed in' after leaving country with her 7 children and their dad, who is suspected of killing her: Family

A large Indiana ma was recovered murdered successful a tiny Mexican colony — nude and dormant successful a ditch — aft she fled the Hoosier State and state with her 7 children retired of fearfulness they would beryllium taken from her, authorities say.

Makala Pendley, 30, of Indianapolis, was recovered successful a tiny colony successful the Mexican authorities of Chiapas aft being brutally raped and beaten to death, according to Indiana CBS affiliate WXIN, citing accusation provided to the outlet by her household and section authorities.

Chiapas State Prosecutor Jorge Luis Llaven Abarca announced the find successful a Facebook Live briefing connected Monday. Pendley's sister, Maurica Lambert, confirmed to WXIN however Pendley died, the outlet reports.

"It conscionable inactive does not consciousness freaking real," Lambert said. "It conscionable doesn't consciousness existent astatine all."

Pendley, who was six months pregnant, allegedly fled from Indiana with her 7 children and their father, Joseph Jude Butler Jr., earlier this twelvemonth due to the fact that she was fearful the children would beryllium taken distant from them. It's unclear why.

Butler, who was allegedly successful a narration with Pendley, has been arrested by Mexican authorities and is suspected to beryllium down Pendley's death, but officials person not charged him.

"In the coming hours, his transgression work volition beryllium determined, and helium whitethorn beryllium brought earlier justice," Llaven Abarca said during his property briefing. "We volition question the maximum condemnation of 100 years for this perpetrator of femicide."

According to constabulary reports obtained by WXIN, Pendley and her children were reported missing to Indianapolis authorities successful precocious February. Mexican officials recovered the children aft Pendley fled to Mexico and took custody of them, but aboriginal returned them to Pendley, according to the outlet.

The children and Butler person been found, with the dada being taken into custody past weekend, according to section officials.

"She was a bully mom," Lambert said astir Pendley. "As moms, you know, we person our atrocious days, you cognize what I mean? And she was a bully mom, though. She enactment her kids earlier she enactment anything."

The household says Pendley's children are being returned to Indianapolis, on with their mother's body. Authorities judge Pendley was successful the ditch for 8 to 12 hours earlier she was found. Her decease was reportedly caused by "traumatic encephalon wounded secondary to blunt unit trauma," according to Llaven Abarca.

"This is the worst clip successful my life, my mom's life," a GoFundMe launched by Lambert says. "All of our lives person been affected and shattered."