A former Florida beauty queen and her boyfriend were found dead in Venezuela, days after powerful earthquakes struck the region and collapsed their apartment building. Skarlent Rodríguez, 23, a former Miss Grand Orlando, and her boyfriend José Castro were recovered Monday, lying side-by-side beneath the rubble in Catia La Mar, a heavily damaged area in La Guaira state.
The couple had been missing since the earthquakes on June 24. Their bodies were found after an extensive search-and-rescue effort, according to a joint statement from the Rodríguez and Castro families on a GoFundMe page.
"Sadly, they were both found dead…side by side, together until the very end," the families wrote in the statement. "There are no words to describe the pain we are living."
Castro's father, grandmother, uncle, and aunt also died in the earthquakes. Venezuelan authorities confirmed that at least 1,719 people died and approximately 5,000 more were injured in the disaster.
Rodríguez, originally from Venezuela, gained recognition after being crowned Miss Grand Orlando last year. Although she did not win the Miss Grand Florida title, she was a noted figure in the pageant community, celebrated for her dedication to modeling and public appearances. The Miss Grand Florida organization mourned her loss on social media, remembering her "radiant smile, warm spirit, and unwavering positivity."
The organization stated, "She will be remembered not only for her beauty and accomplishments but also for the way she uplifted others and carried herself with dignity and light. Her legacy will continue to live on in the hearts of her fellow queens, judges, directors, and all members of the Miss Grand Florida family."