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Missing mother-of-three found dead in Georgia after disappearing six weeks ago

A mother-of-three who had been missing since September in Georgia was found dead on Thursday. 

Heather McDonald, 27, was last seen alive in Cartersville on September 18 when her car was found with the doors open and her belongings inside at the Courtesy Inn on Highway 411, WGCL reported. 

Her remains were found on Sunday night in Haralson County and an autopsy will be performed to determine her cause of death by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) Medical Examiner's Office. 

A person of interest in her disappearance is already in custody on another charge, authorities said Wednesday. 

Tragic: Heather McDonald, a mother-of-three who had been missing since September in Georgia, was found dead on Thursday. She is pictured above with her husband, Stefan

Tragic: Heather McDonald, a mother-of-three who had been missing since September in Georgia, was found dead on Thursday. She is pictured above with her husband, Stefan

Her remains were found on Sunday night in Haralson County and an autopsy will be performed to determine her cause of death. Her husband said the family is heartbroken over her death. They are pictured above together

Her remains were found on Sunday night in Haralson County and an autopsy will be performed to determine her cause of death. Her husband said the family is heartbroken over her death. They are pictured above together

Richard Dale Harden was arrested on October 7 in Carroll County on a warrant for sex-offender registry violation, U.S. Marshals Service spokesman Jim Joyner said, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported.

Authorities shot Harden during the arrest process and he was taken to Grady Memorial Hospital for treatment. 

He was eventually released into the custody of Cartersville police and is currently being held in the Bartow County jail. 

At the time of McDonald's disappearance, her husband, Stefan, said she had been under some stress and displayed erratic behavior. 

A missing person alert, seen above, was issued for Heather along with a $10,000 reward for information

A missing person alert, seen above, was issued for Heather along with a $10,000 reward for information

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Share Richard Dale Harden (above), a person of interest in her disappearance, is already in custody on another charge, authorities said Wednesday. McDonald's (above) family hoped she would have been found alive

Richard Dale Harden (left), a person of interest in her disappearance, is already in custody on another charge, authorities said Wednesday. McDonald's (right) family hoped she would have been found alive

'(But) nothing that would indicate that she was just going to disappear – she wouldn't go this long without reaching out to her kids,' he said. 

After news of her death spread, the family issued a statement saying they were heartbroken.  

'Our world is rocked. We have had nothing but the highest hopes of seeing Heather again since she disappeared over six weeks ago,' the statement reads. 

According to records, Harden was released from prison in 2010 after he was convicted in 1989 on a count of enticing a child for indecent purposes. 

Anyone with information is asked to call Cartersville Police at 770-607-6227.

After news of her death spread, the family issued a statement saying they were heartbroken. 'Our world is rocked. We have had nothing but the highest hopes of seeing Heather again since she disappeared over six weeks ago,' the statement reads Heather is seen in this photo above

After news of her death spread, the family issued a statement saying they were heartbroken. 'Our world is rocked. We have had nothing but the highest hopes of seeing Heather again since she disappeared over six weeks ago,' the statement reads

CBS46 News

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