Police issue major update on missing Texas teenager who vanished on Christmas Eve after body found
Warning: This article contains discussion of suicide which some readers may find distressing.
Police in Bexar County, Texas, have issued an update after announcing on December 30 that a body had been found in the search for missing teenager Camila Mendoza Olmos.
Olmos, 19, was last seen leaving her house in San Antonio for her regular morning walk on December 24, but she was reported missing after she failed to return home.
The search for Olmos continued for almost a week before Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar announced on December 30 that a body had been found in a nearby field.
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In a news conference, Salazar said the identity of the body was not immediately confirmed, however, they were found in an area of tall grass just a few hundred yards from Olmos’ home. A firearm was also recovered nearby.
On New Year's Eve, the Bexar County Sheriff's Office issued an update to confirm that the body found the day prior had been identified as Olmos.
According to the medical examiner, Olmos died by suicide.
Salazar noted that a firearm belonging to a relative of Olmos' has been missing, though as of Tuesday authorities had not determined whether the missing firearm was a match for the one found at the scene.
Olmos' body was found after a collaboration between the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office deputies and FBI agents resulted in a second search of the field, which had already been checked once before.
Salazar explained: “Due to high brush, we made a conscious decision to head back out there and check again."
The Sheriff also reported that there had been some 'indicators of suicidal ideation' in Olmos' case, adding: "From what's being described to us, it sounds like it was a young person going through a very tough time in their life."
"This is certainly not the outcome we were hoping for," he added, per ABC News.
News that the body has been identified comes after Olmos' father, Alfonso Mendoza, told CBS Mornings he had been 'praying to God' in the wake of his daughter's disappearance.
"It's hard. It hurts," he continued. "I might sound strong ... but it hurts."
On the day that Olmos' body was identified, Nancy Olmos, who said she's the cousin of Olmos' mother, wrote on Facebook to request the public 'respect' the family's pain and pray for them during what is an 'incredibly difficult time'.
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: Texas, Mental Health, US News
Emily Brown