Two women who had been missing since Sunday morning are believed to have been found dead inside a Jeep Grand Cherokee pulled from the St. Joseph River in Niles, Michigan. Police say the bodies match the clothing descriptions of Vanessa Bautista, 24, and Alexa Navarro, 23, though positive identification is still pending.
Niles Police Chief James Millin said it is unclear how the women died, that the vehicle apparently went over an embankment, and that investigators do not yet know whether foul play was involved. The women were last seen in Elkhart, Indiana, and South Bend, Elkhart, and Niles police are all working the case. Family members have publicly voiced frustration, saying they have not been told which department is leading the investigation. A protest planned for Tuesday evening was changed into a prayer vigil.
For those of us on the Suncoast, this is a reminder of how quickly a road near water can become dangerous, and how much a community can hurt when answers come slowly. What would you want to know first if a loved one went missing? Tell us in the comments.
