Lesley Lemoine Wiki, Biography
Lesley Lemoine, who disappeared in March 2022, was found dead in a donation bin in South Carolina on December 31, 2022. Her body was discovered by a passerby who noticed a foul odor coming from the bin. According to the sheriff’s office, Lesley Lemoine’s remains were “severely decomposed and mostly skeletal.”
The 47-year-old woman’s family has been searching for her for the past nine months. The gruesome discovery gave them closure; however, certain questions have not yet been answered. According to Lemoine’s obituary, she has been described as “funny, charismatic and free-spirited who loved Jesus and had fun.”
Her daughter Hannah Gates launched a GoFundMe page two days ago to cover her funeral expenses. The fundraiser was initially intended to raise $3,000, but has already raised over $4,500.
Lesley Lemoine’s daughter believes a drug overdose could be the possible cause of her mother’s death
Lugoff resident Lesley Lemoine was reported missing in June 2022. When her remains were discovered, police initially believed the body belonged to someone who took refuge in the donation bin during cold weather.
However, Kershaw County Coroner David West mentioned that the victim has been in the dumpster “for months.” West further mentioned that the donation bin was not emptied for a long time, and that he also had some VHS tapes inside. Authorities identified the victim as Lesley Lemoine after an autopsy was performed Wednesday.
Authorities notified Lesley’s family after the gruesome discovery. Her 25-year-old daughter, Hannah Gates, mentioned that she had passed the Camden West Inn many times, but she never knew that her mother was only a few feet away. She added:
“They [the police] told me that the VHS tapes of her were under her, so this had not been reviewed in a long time. That angers me.”
Investigators are trying to find out the exact cause of her death and how she ended up in the container in the first place. The Kershaw County Sheriff’s Office said:
“We will continue to investigate this as a suspicious death. Keep Lesley’s family in your thoughts and prayers.”
Hannah further added that her mother, Lesley Lemoine, was addicted to drugs and that a drug overdose could be the cause of her death. She mentioned that the police are waiting for the toxicology test reports.
The 25-year-old recalled the last time she saw her mother on March 29, 2022. Lesley Lemoine has just been released from prison after acting aggressively at her mother’s home. After the launch, Gates took her mother to a McDonald’s in Lugoff. Gates further added that she was not on good terms with Lesley Lemoine.
She mentioned that it was not unusual for her mother to go missing for long periods of time and stated that she, too, was homeless. As a result, the 47-year-old woman was reported missing around three months after Hannah last saw her. Doors added:
“I wish I had told her that it was more than who she was.”
Hanna Gates has launched a GoFundMe fundraiser
Kershaw County Sheriff Lee Boan spoke about the alleged homicide, saying:
“We assume that the place where we found her was right where her body was dumped.”
Boan further added that now that the victim has been identified, they can proceed with a thorough investigation. He stated:
“We’ll start tracking from there and find out what happened to her and who put her in the clothing bin.”
Hannah Gates launched a GoFundMe fundraiser to raise money to cover Lesley’s funeral expenses. The fundraiser has already raised about $4,741. The initial goal was to raise $3,000. According to the publication, any additional donations will be distributed among her children and grandchildren through a trust.
In addition to Hannah, Lesley had another child named Haven, who is 10 years old. 10% of the fund will also be donated to an addiction-related charity. The GoFundMe page stated:
“Lesley was a living, free soul who could make anyone laugh and make anyone’s day. Now that we have her home, please help us give her the service she deserves.”
Donors and others expressed their condolences on the fundraising page, as well as on various social media platforms, including Twitter and Facebook. One donor wrote:
“I’m sorry for the loss of her. Hana! Praying for comfort and strength during this difficult time. May she rest in peace…”
Hannah uploaded an emotional post on Facebook and wrote:
“Fly high mom. It’s confirmed, the search for her is over. Thank you for the prayers and support during these last 9 months.
The case is still under investigation.