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Mother Of Woman Found Dismembered In Canarsie Park Searches For Answers

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Police have identified the human remains found in a Brooklyn park as 26-year-old Brandy Odom.

Her mother, Nicole, told CBS2's Andrea Grymes that she's living a nightmare she never could have imaged.

"I don't know who could possibly want to hurt her the way they hurt her, because this was brutal what they did to my kid," she said Wednesday night. "I'm still in a state of shock. I'm still not really believing that I just went and ID'd my daughter today."

Brandy Odom, Canarsie Park
Police have identified the human remains found in a Brooklyn park as 26-year-old Brandy Odom.

A dog walker discovered Odom's head and torso naked, face-down and covered in leaves Monday inside Canarsie Park, about 15 feet away from a footpath in a wooded area, CBS2's Marc Liverman reported. Her face was bruised and swollen.

Police sources said Odom's arms and legs had been cut off and were found nearby.

Her mother said she had no idea her daughter was in any trouble until Tuesday when the family saw a news report mentioning the unidentified body had a distinctive tattoo.

"I said, I'm going to the precinct to make sure that this is not my kid," Nicole said.

But in her gut, she said she knew it was.

Police sources believe Odom was killed and dismembered somewhere else, then dumped in the park.

On Wednesday night, a vigil was held across from the park on Seaview Avenue, as many in the community try to grapple with the murder.

"We have to be diligent with regards to getting whoever committed this crime arrested," community advocate Tony Herbert said.

Police and loved ones are left searching for so many answers.

"That's the same question that I'm trying to ask myself, because my daughter was a loving child. She was sweet, she didn't have any enemies," said Nicole.

She also told Grymes her daughter was in the process of trying to become a school safety agent.

A $2,500 reward is being offered in the case. Another vigil is scheduled for 7 p.m. Thursday.

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