# Bodies of two missing moms found in sunken Jeep

> Two missing mothers discovered dead inside sunken Jeep in Michigan river; cause of death unknown.
- Title: Bodies of two missing moms found in sunken Jeep | Shortify
- Summary: Two missing mothers discovered dead inside sunken Jeep in Michigan river; cause of death unknown. Two missing mothers, Vanessa Bautista and Alexa Navarro…
- Keywords: vanessa bautista, alexa navarro, south bend, niles, st joseph river, jeep grand cherokee, michigan, missing persons, news, entertainment, Bodies, two
- Source: New York Post — https://nypost.com/2026/09/17/us-news/bodies-of-two-missing-moms-found-inside-sunken-jeep-in-michigan-river-but-cause-of-death-remains-a-mystery
- Published: 2026-09-17T13:50:51+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: vanessa bautista, alexa navarro, south bend, niles, st joseph river, jeep grand cherokee, michigan, missing persons, news, entertainment
## Bodies found in sunken Jeep
Two missing mothers, Vanessa Bautista and Alexa Navarro, were discovered inside a sunken Jeep in the St. Joseph River in Niles, Michigan.
## Identified but cause of death unknown
They were positively identified by Western Michigan University Office of the Medical Examiner on Thursday, though an official cause of death has yet to be determined.
## Vehicle went off embankment
Niles Police Chief James Millin said the vehicle is believed to have gone over an embankment around 4 a.m. Sunday morning.
## No outside forces reported
Police say there doesn’t appear to have been any 'outside forces' at play, though they are investigating possible chasing.

> there doesn’t appear to have been any 'outside forces' at play
## Autopsies take weeks
The results of the women’s autopsies and toxicology tests could take weeks to complete, according to police.
## Last seen in Elkhart
The pair was last seen in Elkhart, about 21 miles east of South Bend, before their vehicle went missing.
## Key takeaway

Two missing mothers, Vanessa Bautista and Alexa Navarro, were found dead in a sunken Jeep in Michigan river with cause of death still under investigation.