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Content note: This article discusses suicide and suicidal feelings.
Teen's body found after extensive search
San Antonio, Texas - The search for Camila Mendoza Olmos, the 19-year-old who disappeared on Christmas Eve, ended in tragedy this week when authorities located her body and determined her death was a suicide.
Mendoza Olmos was last seen leaving her San Antonio home for her usual morning walk. After seven days of intensive searching, officials discovered her remains in a field with tall grass, alongside evidence of self-harm.
Investigation details
Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar stated that there were no indications of foul play. He confirmed that a firearm, reportedly missing from a relative's home, was found near her body.
Earlier in the investigation, authorities had released dashcam footage that they believed might show Mendoza Olmos walking near her residence. Salazar noted that while the clothing in the video matched what she was wearing, they could not confirm her identity with certainty.
Family's plea for her return
Mendoza Olmos's parents had publicly appealed for her safe return during the search. Her father, Alfoso Mendoza, told CBS Mornings, "I miss her, come home. I might sound strong, but it hurts." He shared that he had been praying continuously since her disappearance.
Her mother, speaking in Spanish to the BBC's U.S. media partner, said, "We are hopeful every day. At times we are broken, but we are staying strong because my daughter is missing, and we don't know where she is."
Timeline of events
On the day she vanished, authorities released surveillance footage showing Mendoza Olmos searching the back of her car for an unknown item. Investigators believed she then left the area on foot, abandoning her vehicle. Her decision to leave without her phone raised concerns among officials.
Sheriff Salazar emphasized that the investigation had explored all possible scenarios, including voluntary disappearance, self-harm, and potential abduction. The FBI had also assisted in the search efforts.
Community response
The discovery of Mendoza Olmos's body has left her family and community in mourning. Authorities have not released further details about the circumstances surrounding her death but continue to urge anyone with information to come forward.
