A 19-year-old girl is believed to be in “imminent danger” in Texas after she disappeared on Christmas Eve.
Camila Mendoza Olmos was last seen on the morning of Wednesday, December 24 when she left her family home in Bexar County, Texas, around 6:58 a.m., according to a statement from the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office (BCSO).
Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar told ABC News that the sheriff’s office is working with the FBI amid the search for Olmos, as well as the Department of Homeland Security as they monitor potential border crossings and international travel.
Salazar also noted that they believe Olmos is in “imminent danger,” sharing that investigators have not ruled out kidnapping and human trafficking as potential factors in her disappearance. However, he did note that she could have also left her home on her own accord.
“We definitely don’t want to miss anything,” Salazar said. “The ground search is somewhat limited to a couple of square miles. We’re also not ruling out that this case may take us outside the borders of the continental United States.”
Olmos’ mother, Rosario Olmos, said that she and her daughter were sleeping together at their home on the morning of Christmas Eve when she felt the teenager get up from the bed, according to KENS.
The mother said she woke up about 90 minutes later to find her daughter was not home, though her car was still at the residence. Rosario attempted to find her daughter by calling her cell phone, though she later found that it was left in the bed.
“I put it to charge and went out to look for her. I thought I would find her like other times, walking, and we would come home together,” she told the outlet, adding that her daughter would often start her mornings by going on a walk.
While not much is known about Olmos’ disappearance, ABC News reported that investigators believe she left the residence on foot. Salazar added that it was “highly unusual” for Olmos to leave without her phone, which he said added considerable concern to her case. “That’s why we’re working basically around the clock on this case,” he said.
Salazar also revealed that Olmos had recently gone through a “mutual” breakup before her disappearance. However, authorities do not believe anything “nefarious” happened in light of the split.
Additionally, Salazar confirmed to ABC News that Olmos is a U.S. citizen and was not detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
“That was a personal concern,” Salazar said. “So, I had it checked to make sure that there were no stops, no detentions, and that she’s not somewhere in a federal detention facility. That is something we needed to check.”
He also shared that her friends and family are all cooperating with authorities as the investigation into her disappearance continues.
The teen was last seen wearing a baby blue and black hoodie, baby blue pajama bottoms and white shoes.
Police are asking for help regarding the investigation into Olmos’ disappearance. Anyone with information about her whereabouts has been asked to call the BCSO at (210) 335-6000 or email the department’s missing persons unit at [email protected].
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