Camila Mendoza Olmos, Texas teen who disappeared on Christmas Eve, confirmed dead, authorities say
· Yahoo NewsThe body of Camila Mendoza Olmos, the 19-year-old from Bexar County, Texas, who disappeared on Christmas Eve, has been found, local authorities said on Wednesday. The medical examiner said she died by suicide.
Mendoza Olmos’s body was found in a field on Tuesday, KSAT reported, at the Burnin’ Bush landscaping company, which is a few hundred yards from the teen’s home.
In a statement to the San Antonio-Express News, Mendoza Olmos’s family thanked the community for its support. “We want to give a humble and heartfelt thank you to all the news reporters, churches, friends, families, and communities for your support and prayers,” the family said.
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“Our beloved Camila Mendoza Olmos is now with the Good Lord,” the statement continued. “We kindly ask that you please respect our pain and, most importantly, keep my cousin Rosario — Camila’s mom — and my nephew Carlos — Camila’s brother — in your prayers during this incredibly difficult time. Thank you, and God bless you all.”
Mendoza Olmos’s mother, Rosario Olmos, reported that her daughter was missing on Dec. 24, after the teen left their house that morning. She was seen on a neighbor’s security camera shortly before 7 a.m., CBS affiliate KENS5 reported.
Olmos told the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office that her daughter regularly takes morning walks, and that she became concerned when “Camila did not return within a reasonable period of time,” according to ABC News. Mendoza Olmos did not take her phone with her.
“I called her cell phone, but the cell phone was there on the bed and it was turned off,” Olmos told KENS5. “I put it to charge and went out to look for her. I thought I would find her like other times, walking, and we would come home together.”
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The video footage from that morning shows an individual believed to be Mendoza Olmos searching inside her vehicle for an unidentified item before the footage ends, according to the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office. Investigators believe she left the area on foot, as her car was still at her home.
Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar previously told ABC News that deputies and volunteers were searching around the clock as they believed that Mendoza Olmos was in “imminent danger.” Multiple agencies assisted with the investigation, including the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security.
Mendoza Olmos recently went through a breakup; however, Salazar said that the split was mutual and that authorities found no indication of foul play. Those close to Mendoza Olmos cooperated with the investigation.
If you or someone you know is experiencing suicidal thoughts, call 911, or call the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 or 800-273-8255 or text HOME to the Crisis Text Line at 741741.