Family Remembers Mother of Two Found Dead in Sunken Jeep
Vanessa Bautista, 24, and Alexa Navarro, 23, were discovered in a vehicle submerged in the St. Joseph River, with the cause of death still under investigation.
The family of Vanessa Bautista, 24, who was found dead inside a submerged Jeep in a Michigan river, has released a heartfelt obituary remembering her as a "devoted" mother of two boys.
Bautista and 23-year-old Alexa Navarro were discovered on Tuesday night when their vehicle was pulled from the St. Joseph River in Niles, Michigan. Both women, from South Bend, Indiana, had been reported missing on Sunday.
"Vanessa’s greatest joy in life was being a mother. Her sons were her entire world, and she loved them with all her heart," read the obituary for Bautista. "She was devoted to making sure they were cared for, happy, and never went without."
Bautista's obituary also noted her anticipation for her sister's baby, stating she "would tease her sister Michelle, telling her to 'hold it in' and not let the baby be born on her birthday." Bautista's birthday was September 9, just days before her death.
Investigators are looking into the circumstances surrounding the incident, including whether the two women were being followed on the night they disappeared. The Jeep is believed to have gone over an embankment around 4 a.m. Sunday, plunging approximately 70 feet into the river. The cause of death for both Bautista and Navarro has not yet been determined.