Family of Texas teen speak out in heartbreaking tribute after she vanished on Christmas Eve
Police confirmed a body had been found in the search for Camila Mendoza Olmos just before New Year
Warning: This article contains discussion of suicide which some readers may find distressing.
Relatives of Camila Mendoza Olmos have spoken out after police in Bexar County, Texas announced that they had found a body which has since been identified as the missing teen.
The Bexar County Sheriff's Office confirmed on New Year's Eve that the body found on December 30 had been identified as Olmos, who went missing on Christmas Eve after apparently setting off for a walk.
Olmos' body was found just a few hundred yards from her home, in an area of tall grass which authorities went back to search after initially failing to find anything.
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Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar said Sheriff’s Office deputies and FBI agents made the 'conscious decision' to go back to the field due to the 'high brush', and it was during the second search that Olmos' body was found with a firearm nearby.
After examining the body, the medical examiner determined that Olmos had died by suicide.
On December 31, the same day Olmos' body was identified, a woman who identified herself as the cousin of Olmos' mother took to Facebook to share a tribute to the late teenager.
Nancy Olmos wrote: "In the name of the Olmos family, we want to give a humble and heartfelt thank you to all the news reporters, police detectives, FBI, churches, friends, family , and many other communities for your support and prayers.
"Our beloved Camila Mendoza Olmos is now with the Good Lord."
In the wake of the devastating news, Nancy went on to make a request of the public, saying: "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."
When sharing updates on the case, Salazar said that a firearm belonging to a relative of Olmos has been missing, however, authorities have not yet confirmed whether the missing weapon was a match for the one found at the scene.
The discovery of Olmos' body came just hours after police released dash cam footage from someone who had been driving to work on Christmas Eve, which caught footage of a woman walking by herself.
Salazar said that while he couldn't say with 100 percent certainty whether the footage showed Olmos, the clothes worn by the woman matched the description of the missing teen, potentially making it the last footage of her alive.
If you or someone you know is struggling or in a mental health crisis, help is available through Mental Health America. Call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org. You can also reach the Crisis Text Line by texting MHA to 741741.
Topics: Mental Health, Texas, US News, Police, Facebook
Emily Brown