FBI Joins Search for Missing Texas Teen
Authorities in Texas have released dashcam footage showing the last known sighting of 19-year-old Camila Mendoza Olmos, who has been missing since Christmas Eve morning and is deemed to be in “immediate danger.”
This unclear video, captured on Wildhorse Parkway in Bexar County, features a singular figure believed to be Mendoza Olmos, wearing the same clothes she had on when she left her parents’ home just moments earlier.
Sheriff Javier Salazar mentioned the recording was made by a neighbor commuting to work, who happened to have a dashboard camera. He pointed out the sighting occurred just a few blocks from her residence and raised concerns about the possibility of “someone taking her” after she was seen.
“We’re sharing this in hopes that someone might have similar video footage,” he stated at a press conference. “This is currently the best lead we have.”
Camila Mendoza Olmos was last spotted outside her home in San Antonio on Christmas Eve.
According to authorities, she left her house in Caspian Sea Springs, taking a left turn onto the parkway before heading toward an unknown destination.
When she vanished, Mendoza Olmos was dressed in a light blue and black hoodie, light blue pajama pants, and white shoes.
“It feels like someone took her away,” her aunt, Nancy Olmos, shared during an appearance on “Fox & Friends.” “Someone just took her from right outside.”
WATCH: Dashcam Video of Last Known Sighting of Missing Camila Mendoza Olmos
Nevertheless, she dismissed claims that her ex-boyfriend might be involved in her disappearance, labeling those rumors as “fake news.” She clarified that they had recently parted on amicable terms and that their families had been close for many years.
Destiny Mendoza, Camila’s cousin, also noted that their last conversation on December 23 was completely ordinary. “Everything felt normal. It was just, ‘Oh, I love you, I’ll talk to you after gym,'” she recalled.
She added that her cousin wasn’t someone who enjoyed the outdoors, mentioning that hiking or nature trails weren’t her thing.
“There are various theories circulating right now,” Sheriff Salazar said. He acknowledged that there had been indications of “bouts of depression” in the past, which can be common in young individuals.
“We have to explore all routes, from the potential of her choosing to disappear to the risk of self-harm or the possibility that she was taken by someone,” he explained. “It’s conceivable that someone abducted her shortly after this video was recorded.”
The Bexar County Sheriff’s Office is urging anyone living in the area or who was passing through during that time to contact them at 210-335-6000 or via email at BCSOTips@bexar.org.
“If you reside in any nearby community, it wouldn’t take long to check your surveillance footage from Christmas Eve,” Salazar said, encouraging public assistance.
He also mentioned that the FBI is currently helping to analyze digital evidence, while the Department of Homeland Security is keeping an eye on flight records and border crossings.
“We don’t have direct evidence to suggest she left the country, but it’s important to investigate all possibilities,” the sheriff remarked.
Although Mendoza Olmos is a U.S. citizen, Salazar noted that he still consulted with Immigration and Customs Enforcement to see if they might have encountered her. “It didn’t yield any results,” he reported. “They confirmed she is not in custody, but we felt it was necessary to inquire.”
