Body matching description of missing North Hollywood teen found in Oxnard
Body matching description of missing North Hollywood teen found in Oxnard
A body matching the description of a 13-year-old boy reported missing from the San Fernando Valley after failing to return home from a visit with an acquaintance over the weekend was found in Oxnard this week, authorities said.
Family members of Oscar Omar Hernandez reported him missing on March 30 after he failed to return from Lancaster, Los Angeles police Captain Scot Williams said.
Relatives told ABC Los Angeles that Hernandez had boarded a Metrolink train to the Antelope Valley to help a soccer coach at a complex, but didn’t return home to North Hollywood that night.
Police said investigative leads led Robbery-Homicide Division detectives to an area of interest in Oxnard. Working with the FBI, they searched the area by foot on Tuesday and found a body that matched Hernandez’s description.
The identity of the boy had not been officially confirmed as of Friday, Williams said, and the cause of death had yet to be determined.
Detectives continue “to actively pursue all leads to determine the cause of death and to identify any individuals who may be involved or possess information relevant to this investigation,” Williams said.
Friends and family of Hernandez, including his mother, Gladys Bautista, arrived in Oxnard after the body was found, ABC reported.
“He didn’t need to be treated like an animal. He was my son,” she said in Spanish at one point.
Relatives later put up a memorial of flowers, candles and other items at the apartment complex where he lived, the station reported. Bautista said Hernandez was a happy kid who loved soccer and was about to receive his visa so he could visit relatives in Honduras.
What led police to Oxnard was not known. Further information was not available.
In a GoFundMe page seeking funds for a memorial service, family members said Hernandez was a student at Sun Valley Magnet School.
With Beyoncé's Grammy Wins, Black Women in Country Are Finally Getting Their Due
February 17, 2025
Bad Bunny's "Debí Tirar Más Fotos" Tells Puerto Rico's History
February 17, 2025
Comments 0