Mystery as teen stepdaughter of doctor arrested over drug overdose deaths is found hacked to pieces and dumped in a lake
Mikayla M. Mitchell's dismembered body was found dead near William Blair Jr. Park, South Dallas
A TEEN girl whose dismembered body was found floating in a lake is the stepdaughter of a doctor accused over seven overdose deaths.
Mikayla M. Mitchell, 17, was found dead near William Blair Jr. Park, South Dallas, less than a week after her stepfather's well-publicised arrest.
Police said the teenager was brutally murdered, but they have yet to disclose any further details about the shocking case.
Mikayla was the stepdaughter of Texas-based physician Howard Gregg Diamond, 56, who was arrested on federal charges in a prescription drug fraud case.
Diamond's lawyer, Peter Schulte, insisted 'there is no connection' between his client's charges and the girl's death.
He then labelled the media 'ruthless' for seeking any links.
A family friend, Sunshine Grigg, told that investigators had informed the family that Mikayla's body was found on Sunday.
It was reportedly dismembered and showed signs of torture.
Grigg said the teen had been hanging out with some "bad boys" she met through Facebook and had recently ran away from home.
The girl's shocking death comes just days after her step-father was charged on June 11 on a number of counts including conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and health care fraud.
Prosecutors claim Diamond began issuing prescriptions in 2010 that had no legitimate medical purpose.
The prescriptions were for drugs such as fentanyl, hydrocodone and morphine, according to legal papers.
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Authorities say the overdose deaths occurred in the Texas cities of Abilene, McKinney and Sulphur Springs, and in the Oklahoma cities of Ardmore, Hugo, Idabel and Yukon.
In each case, the seven people died within a month of filling the prescription provided by Diamond, the indictment states.
Diamond, who is based in Sherman, Texas, about 60 miles north of Dallas, pleaded not guilty to the charges and is currently in custody.
He's also is accused of defrauding Medicare of tens of thousands of dollars by filing false claims and through other means.