Hannah Gates, 25, says she had reported her mother missing months ago and had been searching for her ever since. She last saw her in March of 2022, but her mom had a habit of disappearing for weeks at a time. 

A body recently discovered on December 31, in a donation bin near the Camden West Inn located at 850 US 1 South in Kershaw County, South Carolina, was identified as that of a 47-year-old woman who had been missing for several months, according to the Kershaw County Sheriff’s Office.

After an autopsy was performed, the woman was identified as Lesley Lemoine. 

It was Hannah Gates’ mother.

“Every day, every week that passed in those nine months, I got less and less hopeful,” she said. “I’m 25 years old and I’m planning a funeral. Not something I ever really thought I would have to do at this point in my life. Especially, not for a parent.”

A resident passing by the donation bin noticed a foul smell and called authorities, who discovered the decomposing body.

Despite numerous unanswered questions, Gates said the discovery would finally give her and her family some closure. Speaking to the media, Gates said that she had driven past the motel several times, but never had a clue that her mother was buried there. 

The family wants to know how the woman died and how she ended up in a donation bin, left there for months, without anyone reporting it. 

Kershaw County Sheriff Lee Boan says that Lemoine was probably dumped in the bin after she died. The body appeared to be there for several months and was mostly skeletal. Deputies are undergoing an investigation to see if they can put the puzzle pieces together. 

The medical examiner initially thought it would take at least six months to positively identify the victim because of the state of the body, but the daughter recognized a tattoo on Lemoine’s calf, which sped the process up.

According to her daughter, Lemoine was a drug addict and could have died from a drug overdose. Gates last saw her mom on March 29, 2022, after Lemoine was released from jail. Gates said she drove her mother to a McDonald’s in Lugoff, and that was the last time she saw her. The mother and daughter were not on good terms, and Gates said she was used to her homeless mother disappearing for a long time.

Lemoine also leaves behind a 10-year-old daughter that Gates and her family are caring for, and they are trying to get legal custody.