# Two missing South Bend mothers found dead in river

> Bodies of Vanessa Bautista and Alexa Navarro discovered in submerged Jeep in St. Joseph River.
- Title: Two missing South Bend mothers found dead in river | Shortify
- Summary: Bodies of Vanessa Bautista and Alexa Navarro discovered in submerged Jeep in St. Joseph River. Two young mothers missing since Sunday were found dead in…
- Keywords: vanessa bautista, alexa navarro, south bend, niles michigan, st. joseph river, missing persons, death investigation, jeep grand cherokee, elkhart, police investigation, news, local
- Source: Valleynewslive — https://valleynewslive.com/2026/09/16/2-women-found-dead-inside-submerged-jeep-believed-be-missing-mothers
- Published: 2026-09-16T20:30:40.999+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: vanessa bautista, alexa navarro, south bend, niles michigan, st. joseph river, missing persons, death investigation, jeep grand cherokee, elkhart, police investigation, news, local
## Two mothers found dead in river
Vanessa Bautista, 24, and Alexa Navarro, 23, were discovered inside a submerged 2020 Jeep Grand Cherokee in the St. Joseph River near Niles, Michigan.
## Vehicle went over embankment
Police say the Jeep went over an embankment into the water. The vehicle was found Tuesday evening after family members reported it missing.
## Missing since Sunday morning
Bautista and Navarro disappeared Sunday morning and were last seen in Elkhart. Their last pinged location was in Niles, according to family.
## Cause of death still unclear
Authorities say it's unclear how the women died. The cause of death is pending investigation by the medical examiner, and foul play has not been ruled out.
## Family frustrated by lack of clarity
Family members expressed frustration about unclear communication from police. They said they were not informed which department is leading the investigation.
## Multiple departments investigating
Police from South Bend, Elkhart, and Niles have been working together on the case. A planned protest was changed to a prayer vigil Tuesday evening.
## Key takeaway

Two young mothers missing since Sunday were found dead in their vehicle in a river, with cause of death still under investigation.