Missing Austin Woman Found Dead Near Houston

AUSTIN, TX — A body found in Houston is believed to be that of an Austin woman who was the focus of a massive search after family members reported her and her baby missing last week, officials confirmed on Friday.

In a press advisory, the Austin Police Department said the 3-week old child was found safe in a Houston home. DNA testing is being conducted to determine whether the infant is Margot Carey, who was reported missing along with her mother, 33-year-old Heidi Broussard, on Dec. 12.

Police said the infant is healthy, and now in the care of Child Protective Services staff. Officials said a dead woman also was found at the home, with an autopsy now being conducted to determine her identity.

NBC News first reported the body may be that of the missing Austin woman, but Austin police did not immediately confirm the reports ahead of the officials autopsy. The news station reported the woman was found inside the trunk of a car in Jersey Village outside Houston, but the police advisory did not confirm the report.

However, according to numerous media outlets, the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciencesconfirmed the body was positively identified as Broussard. The death was ruled a homicide, according to reports, with the cause of death ruled as having come from ligature strangulation.

Police added a suspect has been arrested after being charged with two counts of kidnapping and one count of tampering with a corpse. In referencing their parent network's story, the Austin NBC affiliate KXAN reported the car where Broussard reportedly was found is registered to Magen Rose Fieramusca, 33, now being held at the Harris County Jail — additional details not confirmed by the Austin Police Department in their press advisory.

According to Harris County Jail records, Fieramusca is now being held at the Harris County jail under $500,000 collective bond for the kidnapping charges and another $100,000 for the corpse tampering. Despite having been a friend of Broussard's, officials said the woman now detained is said to have long plotted to abduct the dead woman's child shortly after the child was born.

Local police staged a news conference on Friday detailing the case with members of the FBI, the Texas Department of Public Safety and the Travis County District Attorney's Office. The press conference took place at 2 p.m. at the police training academy on 4800 Shaw Lane, police said.

Broussard and her daughter were reported missing last Thursday, Dec. 12. The woman was last seen dropping off the child at Cowan Elementary School, 2817 Kentish Dr., at around 7:30 a.m. The woman and child are believed to have returned to their home near West William Cannon and South First Street, but were not seen or heard from since.

This is a developing story. Patch will update when more details are known.

Previous coverage:

• Missing Woman, Infant Sought By Austin Police
• FBI Joins In Search For Missing Austin Woman, Baby

>>> Read the full report at KXAN