A California woman who had been missing for more than a month after making a distressing 911 call from the desert has tragically been discovered deceased, authorities have confirmed.
Amanda Nenigar, a resident of Blythe, California, was reported missing on February 28th. The last sighting of her was in a pink hooded sweatshirt driving her 2010 blue Toyota Camry, according to a statement from the La Paz Sheriff’s County Office.
The day prior to her disappearance, Nenigar placed a 911 call to a California Highway Patrol dispatcher, indicating that she was stuck in a ditch and providing her location. However, there seems to have been a communication error between authorities, potentially leading to search efforts being directed to the wrong area, as reported by KPHO-TV.
“I’m, like, kind of in a valley,” Nenigar can be heard saying on the 911 call. “I climbed to, like, a high mountain, and I’m wearing pink.”
California Woman Missing After Confusing 911 Call Discovered Dead (Credits: Reddit)
On March 7th, Nenigar’s vehicle was found in a remote location south of Cibola in La Paz County, Arizona. Her car’s back wheel was stuck on a large boulder situated just a mile away from the coordinates she shared during the 911 call.
However, it was discovered that California authorities had been searching in a different area approximately 30 miles away. Nenigar’s family has expressed deep concern over the possibility that the California Highway Patrol mishandled her plea for help.
On Friday evening, Nenigar’s body was found under a tree around a mile and a half from where her car was located, as stated by the sheriff’s office. KPHO reports that Nenigar’s clothing was found nearby, suggesting she may have removed them due to overheating, and she potentially succumbed to exposure.
“Who knows what she went through, suffering for that many days out there alone. I just don’t understand why she was naked. That’s so crazy,” her sister Marissa Nenigar told KPHO. “Whoever that dispatcher was, he failed my sister horribly, horribly.”
An autopsy will be performed to ascertain the cause of death.
“The family has been informed and has released a statement requesting privacy, expressing gratitude to the public for their assistance in the search for Amanda,” the sheriff’s office stated. “We urge everyone to respect the family’s privacy during this difficult time and refrain from spreading rumors and making assumptions.”
