A 19-year-old woman from Texas has vanished without a trace during a routine morning walk on Christmas Eve, sparking a desperate search in a region authorities have long identified as a corridor for human trafficking.
Disappearance Minutes From Home
Camila Mendoza Olmos was last seen shortly before 7am on Wednesday, 24 December, after leaving her family home in northwest Bexar County, on the outskirts of San Antonio. The Bexar County Sheriff's Office confirmed her disappearance and has issued a CLEAR Alert – Texas's statewide system for locating missing and potentially endangered adults.
Investigators revealed that surveillance footage from that morning shows an individual believed to be Camila standing near her vehicle with its lights on. She appears to be searching inside the car for an item. Moments later, the footage ends. Her car remained parked at the home, leading authorities to conclude she left the area on foot.
Growing Concern Over Alarming Circumstances
While officials have not shared evidence of foul play, the circumstances are deeply troubling. Camila left her mobile phone behind, turned off on her bed. She departed suddenly on foot and there have been no confirmed sightings since. She is believed to have had only her car keys and possibly her driving licence with her.
Her mother, Rosario Olmos, told CBS affiliate KENS that she and Camila had been sleeping together early on Christmas Eve when she felt her daughter get out of bed. About 90 minutes later, Rosario woke to find Camila gone. "I called her mobile phone, but the mobile phone was there on the bed and it was turned off," she said. "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."
After checking with Camila's boyfriend and father, neither of whom had seen her, Rosario contacted the sheriff's office. Family and friends spent Christmas Day searching the vicinity but found no sign of the teenager.
Family's Desperate Pleas for Safe Return
"It is not normal for her to disappear," Rosario stated, adding she usually knows her daughter's whereabouts. "I only ask God to please bring her back home. Bring her back to me."
Camila's aunt, Nancy Olmos, issued an emotional online appeal, noting her niece had recently been baptised and is deeply religious. "She loves God with all her heart, and we are desperately looking for her," Nancy wrote. She directly addressed families celebrating Christmas together: "As a sister in Christ, I am humbly asking for one special gift this year... please help us by sharing these posts and, most importantly, by lifting Camila up in your prayers."
The Texas Department of Public Safety's CLEAR Alert officially classifies Camila as a missing adult who is 'possibly endangered', a designation enabling law enforcement to rapidly disseminate information across the state.
Camila is described as 5 feet 4 inches tall, weighing approximately 110 pounds. She was last seen wearing a baby blue and black hoodie, baby blue pyjama bottoms and white shoes. Anyone with information is urged to contact the Bexar County Sheriff's Office immediately.
