Officials in Wisconsin believe they have found the remains of a missing teenager who likely froze to death in frigid temperatures.
The remains were found in a field off of Day Street, about a quarter mile away from where the vehicle was found in a ditch, according to the captain.
Though a cause of death has not been confirmed, Poteat said officials believe Velazquez, who was wearing a sweatshirt and pajama pants at the time, died from hypothermia.
Brown County Sheriff’s Office/Facebook
“She was definitely not dressed for the weather,” Poteat told reporters, “and being outside in conditions, much like they are today, for any extended period of time is going to result in fatality in a short period of time.”
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Velazquez’s mother last saw her daughter at home around 10:30 p.m. on Saturday, Poteat said. The last call on her phone was made about an hour later, he added.
“She was just driving around, which was basically what she told her mother before she left, was ‘I’m going for a drive,’ " the captain explained.
Velazquez’s vehicle likely left the roadway and ended up in the ditch between 3 a.m. and 6 a.m. on Sunday, according to the captain.
Her keys and wallet were still inside when a trooper came across her car in the ditch, Poteat said at Tuesday’s press conference. Her shoes and phone were found outside the vehicle, he added.
“It’s hard to know what her thought process was,” the captain told reporters.
Officials do not believe foul play was involved in Velazquez’s death, Poteat told reporters. Instead, they believe she died in “a tragic accident.”
“At this time, our sincere sympathy goes out to the family, Daniela’s friends,” the captain said. “It’s a hard time for them, and they do ask for privacy during this time.”
source: people.com
