A body has been discovered during the intensive search for a 19-year-old Texas woman who vanished from her home on Christmas Eve.
Frantic Search After Christmas Eve Disappearance
Camila Mendoza Olmos was last captured on a neighbour's surveillance camera leaving her San Antonio neighbourhood just before 7am on Wednesday, 24 December. Her unexplained disappearance prompted an urgent, week-long search involving multiple agencies. Authorities had publicly stated they believed the teenager could be in 'imminent danger.'
Discovery in Dense Brush Near Home
On Tuesday, the Bexar County Sheriff's Office confirmed that a body had been located in a field 'very close to Camila's home.' The grim discovery was made during a renewed search effort by sheriff’s deputies and FBI agents, who decided to re-examine the area due to the dense brush.
Sheriff Javier Salazar told reporters that the medical examiner has not yet confirmed the identity of the remains, nor determined the cause and manner of death. 'But we hope to expedite that process to get the community answers,' Salazar stated, adding he hoped for identification within the next day or two.
Investigators Explore Possible Suicidal Ideation
As the investigation continues, Sheriff Salazar revealed that detectives had uncovered information suggesting Camila may have been experiencing suicidal thoughts. 'We developed some information that there may have been some suicidal ideations on Camila’s part,' he said.
'Undiagnosed, as far as we can tell,' the Sheriff added. 'It sounds like this was a young person going through a very tough time in her life, going through some emotional issues.'
The community now awaits the medical examiner's official report, hoping for closure in this tragic case that began on what should have been a festive family holiday.
