As the search continued for a missing 19-year-old Maryland woman, police announced that a body had been discovered.
The family of Dacara Thompson, from Lanham, reported her missing on Aug. 23, according to the Prince George’s County Police Department.
Police found her car in Hyattsville the next day, Interim Chief George Nader said during a news conference on Wednesday, Sept. 3. He added that officials had found a body but stressed that the person has not yet been identified.
“That body was located just off of Route 50 in Anne Arundel County,” Chief Nader said. “At this point, there has not been a confirmation, but the characteristics are similar so we’re exploring that.”
In a separate statement, state police explained that they came across the body after receiving a report about a disabled vehicle on Aug. 31. They later determined that the vehicle “does not belong to the deceased and is unrelated to the investigation.”
Officials are still waiting for positive identification and for autopsy results from the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner.
“Anytime someone goes missing in our community, we take it seriously,” said Chief Nader. “Out of respect for the family, we are going to ask that we give them some privacy as we process and attempt to confirm whether or not this is our person.”
“Dacara is 19 years old and so even though technically she’s an adult, she’s someone’s child, someone’s baby, and so our heart goes out to her entire family,” added County Executive Aisha Braveboy during the same news conference.
The investigation remains ongoing.
Dacara’s father told NBC affiliate WRC-TV that his daughter left his home on the night of Aug. 22, saying she was going to get gas.
He also spoke with CBS affiliate WUSA, saying that after an hour passed and she hadn’t returned, he tried calling her, but she didn’t answer. By 11:50 p.m., he sent her a text saying he was going to bed but just wanted to check on her.
He said she immediately replied: “I should be back soon. I love you too. Goodnight <3.” His later attempts to reach her were unsuccessful.
Dacara’s mother, Carmen Thompson, wrote in a GoFundMe that her daughter was last seen on surveillance video parking her 2013 white Ford Edge SUV in Hyattsville on Aug. 23.
“She was seen walking toward Riggs Road, and then she vanished. All she had with her was her phone, and now even that lead has gone cold,” Carmen wrote. “For Dacara not to call or text us for a week is completely unlike her — she’s always been in touch, and her silence has left us fearing the worst.”
“Dacara is a vibrant, loving 19-year-old with her whole life ahead of her,” her mother added. “She’s our daughter, our light, and we won’t stop until we find her.”
