Ill. Teen Vanished While on Way to Work Party, Car Found Submerged in Pond

Brissa Romero, 17, went missing on Dec. 4 when she was believed to have been on her way to a holiday work party at a bowling alley

Authorities in Illinois are searching for a teenager who disappeared more than a week ago.

Brissa Romero, 17, went missing on Dec. 4 when she was believed to have been on her way to a holiday work party at a bowling alley in Vernon Hills, a suburb located about 40 miles north of Chicago, according to a press release from the Carpentersville Police Department.

However, police said nobody at the party ever saw Romero, who was last spotted on surveillance video while visiting a family member in Des Plaines, Ill.

Police have been searching for her ever since, and on Monday, after reviewing cell phone data, were led to a retention pond in Vernon Hills, CBS News, ABC7 Chicago and NBC Chicago report, citing Vernon Hills police.

There, a resident reportedly told police about a backpack floating in the water. Police said the backpack was believed to have belonged to Romero, ABC 7 Chicago reports.

As the search continued, investigators found Romero’s Nissan Rogue submerged in the water, Vernon Hills police said, according to CBS News. Based on the SUV’s condition, police believe Romero was inside the car when went into the water and traveled approximately 60 feet, the outlet reports. Police have yet to recover Romero’s body.

"From the preliminary review of what happened, it really appears like this is a case where a driver unfamiliar with the area failed to navigate a turn and went through the intersection down an embankment into the pond," Vernon Hills Police Chief Patrick Kreis said during a Monday press conference, according to NBC Chicago.

Police also said that surveillance footage obtained from a fast food restaurant a little over a mile from the scene showed Romero walking in and out of the building alone, and then driving away about 15 minutes before her cell phone last pinged, NBC Chicago reports.

Carpentersville police said in a Facebook post Monday evening that the search had been paused but would continue Tuesday.

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Romero’s sister, Dulce Romero, told ABC 7 Chicago that she’s still holding out hope that her sister will be found safe.

"The vehicle has no body inside,” she told the outlet. “They will be searching the pond to see if Brissa's body is in there. Until now, in my heart, I still believe she's out there.”

According to police, Romero is 5 feet tall and weighs approximately 115 lbs. She was described by police as a girl with brown hair and brown eyes and was last seen wearing a green shirt and black pants.

Romero’s family is offering a $1,000 reward for any information that leads to her safe return, according to a separate press release from Carpentersville police.

Anyone with information on the case is asked to contact Sgt. Webb with the Carpentersville Police Department at 847-551-3481 or QuadCom Dispatch at 847-428-8784.

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