Texas Teen Camila Mendoza Olmos Vanished on Christmas Eve—Police Fear ‘Imminent Danger’
Sixteen-year-old Camila Mendoza Olmos vanished Christmas Eve in McAllen, Texas. Police fear trafficking; her phone last pinged near the border.
Christmas Eve Silence
On the night most families hang the last ornament, 16-year-old Camila Mendoza Olmes slipped out of her grandmother’s house in McAllen, Texas, and disappeared. Surveillance footage shows the sophomore walking alone toward a dark pickup truck idling at the curb. The timestamp reads 11:47 p.m.—December 24, 2023. She has not been seen since.
‘We Believe She Is in Imminent Danger’
By dawn, relatives realized her bed was still made. They called McAllen Police, who within hours escalated the case to a Level II Endangered Missing Person Alert—a designation reserved for minors believed to be at risk of kidnapping or trafficking.
“We are not ruling anything out,” Lt. Rosa Garza told reporters Monday. “Every minute matters.”
What We Know
- Age: 16
- Height: 5'3"
- Last outfit: Black hoodie, gray sweatpants, white Nike Air Force 1s
- Cell phone: Goes straight to voicemail; last pinged a tower near the Anzalduas Port of Entry
Community Turns Searchlights South
Volunteers have papered the Rio Grande Valley with 30,000 flyers bearing Camila’s dimpled smile. Search parties—some on horseback, others piloting drones—have combed brushland along the river that separates Texas from Mexico.
Digital Footprint Offers Few Clues
Detectives served search warrants on Snapchat, Instagram, and WhatsApp within 48 hours. A cryptic voice note sent to a friend at 11:39 p.m. simply says, “If anything happens, know I love you guys.” Investigators are analyzing metadata but have not released the sender’s location.
Family Pleads: ‘Bring Our Baby Home’
On Sunday, Camila’s mother, Yajaira Olmos, stood before a bank of microphones, voice cracking:
“Whoever has my daughter, please, she has asthma. She needs her medicine. Just let her go.”
How to Help
McAllen Police urge anyone with information to call (956) 681-2000 or email findcamila@mcallenpolice.gov. A $25,000 reward—crowdfunded by local businesses—awaits tips leading to her safe return. Share her poster using the hashtag #FindCamila.