The death of a South Jersey 15-year-old girl who'd been missing since Dec. 1 has been ruled a homicide, officials said Wednesday

"Because the investigation is still on-going the prosecutor does not want to elaborate as to the cause her death, but would like to assure the public that investigators do not believe this to be a random act," The Cape May County Prosecutor's Office said.

The announcement was the first official acknowledgement that a body found in an abandoned Lower Township home Monday was 15-year-old Nicole Angstadt — though family members had already said they believed that to be the case.

According to an alert issued last week, Angstadt was last seen Nov. 29. She was described in the alert from Lower Township Police as a “15 year old runaway from the Erma section of Lower Township.” Authorities found her body in a crawlspace during their search for her this week, officials said.

Neighbors have said local teens had been using the property as a hangout since its owner died over the summer.

Three males have been charged in the investigation, but not for Angstadt death, the Cape May County Prosecutor's Office said.

LaQuan D. Harris, 20, and Derrick Powers, 23, of Rio Grande have both been charged with two counts each of first-degree armed robbery and second-degree conspiracy to commit armed robbery.

Authorities said both were involved in a armed robbery of nine juveniles while at Mulligan Park in the Villas section of Lower Township Dec. 5. On Dec. 8, both were involved in another armed robbery in the Rio Grande section of Middle Township that involved the victim being struck with a handgun, the prosecutor's office said.

Both were lodged in the Cape May County Correctional Facility in lieu of $200,000 bail.

Authorities said they learned Monday 32-year-old Charles E. Mosley of Rio Grande had a sexual relationship with Angstadt. He was charged with sexual assault of a person at least 13 but less than 16 years of age, a crime of the second degree, endangering the welfare of a minor in the third-degree, and trespassing in the fourth- degree. Mosley was lodged in the Cape May County Correctional Facility in lieu of $250,000 bail.

An announcement from the prosecutor's office did not say whether he is considered a suspect in her death.

"Prosecutor Taylor would like to emphasize that the investigation into the death of Nicole Angstadt is on-going and no one has been charged as of this date," the announcement said.

Authorities are asking anyone with information to contact the prosecutor’s office at 609-465-1135, the Lower Township Police at 609-886-2711 or the Middle Township Police Department at 609-465-8700, or text TIP MTPDTIPS followed by a message to 888777. Messages can also be sent via the Cape May County Sheriff’s Department TIP 411 app.

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