Funeral Set For Pregnant Teen Whose Body Was Found In DeKalb Woods

A funeral is set for Friday for the tragic 19-year-old pregnant woman found buried last week.

The body of Téa Choates was discovered Aug. 13 in a wooded area of DeKalb County.

Cops found the pretty teen behind the Lithonia home she shared with her grandmother and fiancé, 18-year-old Aldeyshaun Locklear.

He was arrested hours later on a murder charge after allegedly confessing to the crime.

Choates spent much of her childhood in Johns Creek, where she attended Northview High School.

She was a member of the Stingray Allstars, a competitive cheerleading team. 

According to AJC, Choates appeared to have died from strangulation, but a coroner has yet to give an exact cause of death.

Choates frantic mother reported her daughter missing on August 6. 

Ebony King took to Facebook to launch an appeal for her daughter’s safe return. She shared with her followers that Téa was three months pregnant. 

King has since made a heartbreaking post after news of her daughter’s death emerged. 

“We are numb and at a loss for words. My gift, my love, my heartbeat, my hero, my 1st born baby is gone,” she sadly wrote.

“She was found deceased. I gather the strength to post this as we have continued to receive calls and text messages asking for updates. We are unable to discuss details at this time. We thank you so much for your shares of our post. I have no other words.”

King runs a center in the state that helps survivors of human trafficking and domestic abuse. 

She revealed that she had been trying to get her daughter to move to Florida for months, where she is based.

But her daughter was dangerously in love with suspect Aldeyshaun Locklear and wanted to stay in Johns Creek.  

In the Facebook post, King wrote that the last text she had received came from Locklear’s phone. 

“She loved him,” King said. “She wanted to stay, no matter what I would say to her. She really just wanted the family.

Back in March, King claims that her and her husband, Everett King, confronted Locklear about his violent behavior towards Choates. 

But Locklear would admit no wrong doing and promised them that he loved their daughter.  

“Téa’s biggest thing was she would say, ‘I could change him, I can help him,’ she said. “That’s how her heart was built … but you can’t love a person hard enough to change.” 

Locklear is currently being held without bond.