Andreea Mottram, originally from Romania and now residing in the United States, was discovered dead in a vacation home in Utah after being stabbed 12 times in the abdomen.
The incident occurred on March 23, 2025, with the lifeless body of the 47-year-old woman found by a cleaning crew in a rental property booked through a travel platform in Washington City.
Cold-blooded murder planned in advance
Key suspects were quickly identified: Andreea’s adopted daughter, Mihaela Gabriela Sorescu, 16, and her friend, Abigael “Jay” Flanagan, 17. The two teenagers have been charged with first-degree murder, obstruction of justice, and vehicle theft. Given the severity of the crime, authorities decided to prosecute them as adults.
Shocking details have emerged from the official investigation, including that Mihaela had been plotting the murder for months. According to People magazine, the teenager had written in her journal as early as November 2024 about her intention to kill her adoptive mother.
“She hated her mother and said she wanted to kill her,” notes the source.
The journal was found by a man identified as “Frank,” who is believed to be the girl’s father, and he turned the documents over to the police.
Mihaela had been hospitalized for three years in a center for adolescents with emotional disorders, while Jay Flanagan had also been a patient at such an institution before being withdrawn by her parents. It remains unclear if the two had met in the same facility.
A trip that turned into tragedy
Andreea Mottram rented a car in Las Vegas on March 20 and embarked on a trip with the two teenagers. Three days later, on March 23, the vehicle was spotted in Cedar City, but authorities believe the woman was already deceased at that point.
The investigation revealed that the two teenagers attempted to destroy evidence: in the rental home, police found phones and a handbag thrown into the toilet, several knives, and a pair of pants stained with blood.
Their escape in the car was tracked by authorities, who later apprehended them and placed them in preventive detention.
Andreea Mottram was a well-known figure in the Romanian community in the United States, involved in numerous humanitarian efforts. She supported refugee and disability causes and was a co-founder of organizations advocating for human rights.
She had three children – two biological and Mihaela, adopted from Romania – whom she provided with a stable home and an education rooted in tolerance.
Despite all these efforts, her death came at the hands of the one she had raised with love. Investigators reported that the murder plot was premeditated, meticulously planned, and backed by grim writings in Mihaela’s journal.
The details noted there were crucial in building the charges against them. Authorities mentioned that the investigation is still ongoing, and new evidence continues to emerge as they analyze the collected materials from the scene.
The vacation home where the tragedy took place was rented for a brief escape but became the site of extreme violence. Police were able to connect the clues found inside to the two teenagers, including the items hidden or destroyed in the toilet.
“Jay” Flanagan, 17, directly involved in the incident, was a close friend of Mihaela. Although both young women had experiences in centers for treating emotional disorders, investigators have not yet confirmed whether they met in such an environment.
What is certain is that the bond between them became strong enough to lead to a crime where the planning, escape, and attempts to conceal evidence were carried out consciously and coordinated.
The case against the two is being treated with the utmost seriousness by the American judicial system, and the charges involve severe penalties, as they are being tried as adults. The case remains under the scrutiny of authorities in Utah as investigations continue.
Graduated from FJSC in 2014, I have written for several well-known publications in Romania.
