Body pulled from Mountlake Terrace lake ID'd as missing teen

A Seattle teenager whose body was pulled from a Mountlake Terrace lake on Tuesday had been reported as a runaway by her stepfather on Sunday night.

Britney Galindez, 17, was last seen boarding a bus to Everett on Oct. 12, according to a report filed by the stepfather with Seattle police. The teen was heading to a friend's house, the report said.

According to the report, the last time someone spoke with Galindez was on Oct. 13.

It's unclear why the girl's family waited so long before contacting police.

Police identified Galindez as the girl whose body was pulled from Lake Ballinger on Tuesday. The cause of death has not been released by the Snohomish County Medical Examiner's Office.

Mountlake Terrace police Sgt. Doug Hansen said that officers responded to 23500 Lakeview Drive after reports of a mannequin in the water. Police divers found her body near the boat ramp between Ballinger Lake Golf Course and the Nile Temple Golf Course.

Hansen said the girl was found fully dressed and wearing a belt with the number 13 on it.

Hansen said detectives are investigating whether the girl was slain and whether she had ties to a street gang.

The number on her belt could have some connection with Mara Salvatrucha or MS-13, a Latino gang that originated 23 years ago in Los Angeles and spread to Central America and other parts of the U.S., including the Seattle area.

In recent years, the departments of Justice and Homeland Security have started a series of initiatives to confront the threat posed by the gang, which has 30,000 to 50,000 members in half a dozen countries, including up to 10,000 members in the U.S., according to federal law-enforcement statistics.

Anyone with information is asked to call 911 or e-mail detectives at crimetips@ci.mlt.wa.us.

Jennifer Sullivan: 206-464-8294 or jensullivan@seattletimes.com

Information from The Associated Press is included in this report.