Authorities in Bexar County, Texas, say they believe 19-year-old Camila Mendoza Olmos may be in “imminent danger” after she vanished on Christmas Eve.
Camila was last seen the morning of Dec. 24, when she left her family’s home on the 11000 block of Caspian Spring in northwest Bexar County at about 6:58 a.m. local time, according to the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office (BCSO).
In the days since, multiple agencies have joined the search, including the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security, which is monitoring potential border crossings and international travel, Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar told ABC News.
Salazar said investigators have gathered enough information to heighten concerns for Camila’s safety, and they are not ruling out possibilities such as kidnapping or human trafficking. At the same time, he noted it’s also possible she left on her own.
“We definitely don’t want to miss anything,” Salazar told ABC News, explaining that while the ground search is concentrated in a limited area, investigators are also considering scenarios that could take the case beyond the continental United States.
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According to Camila’s mother, Rosario, the two had been asleep together early Christmas Eve when Rosario felt her daughter get out of bed, CBS affiliate KENS previously reported. About 90 minutes later, Rosario said she woke up and couldn’t find Camila anywhere in the home.
Camila’s car was still at the residence, Rosario told KENS — but her cell phone was left behind on the bed. Rosario said her daughter often went on morning walks, so she initially assumed she would find her nearby and return with her, but Camila didn’t come back.
Investigators believe Camila left the house on foot, ABC News reported. Salazar said leaving her phone behind was “highly unusual,” which is one reason authorities are treating the case with urgency. He also said Camila recently went through a “mutual” breakup, though investigators do not believe anything “nefarious” happened.
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Rosario contacted Camila’s boyfriend and father shortly after noticing she was missing, and both said they hadn’t seen her, before she reached out to authorities.
Salazar also confirmed to ABC News that Camila — a U.S. citizen — was not detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). He added that her loved ones are cooperating with investigators.
Anyone with information about Camila’s whereabouts is asked to call the BCSO at (210) 335-6000 or email the missing persons unit at missingpersons@bexar.org.
