TWO MISSING MOMS VANISHED AFTER A BIRTHDAY NIGHT OUT — THEN THEIR BODIES WERE FOUND INSIDE A SUBMERGED JEEP

What began as a desperate search for two young mothers has ended in heartbreak — but investigators are still trying to understand exactly what happened in the hours before their deaths.

Vanessa Bautista, 24, and Alexa Navarro, 23, both from South Bend, Indiana, were found inside a gray 2020 Jeep Grand Cherokee submerged in the St. Joseph River in Niles, Michigan.

Their bodies were officially identified by the medical examiner on Thursday, Sept. 17, according to police. Their cause of death has not yet been determined.

THE NIGHT EVERYTHING CHANGED

The two friends had been celebrating Bautista’s birthday on Saturday night, Sept. 12.

They went to The Arena Nightclub in Elkhart, Indiana, before eventually dropping off a friend in South Bend during the early hours of Sunday morning.

Family members said the women planned to get something to eat before heading home.

But they never arrived.

The last known contact with Bautista was around 3:41 a.m., according to a family member who spoke with local media.

Navarro was a mother to a 3-year-old child, while Bautista had two young children, ages 2 and 3.

When neither woman returned home or checked in with family, concern quickly grew.

THEIR LAST KNOWN LOCATION LED SEARCHERS TO MICHIGAN

South Bend police said the women were last seen in Elkhart.

But family members tracking Bautista’s phone discovered a location in Niles, Michigan, about 11 miles north of South Bend.

That became a crucial lead.

Police and relatives began searching for the women, while members of the community joined the effort.

Then, on Tuesday, Sept. 15, investigators located the Jeep in the St. Joseph River.

Two bodies were inside.

Their clothing reportedly matched the descriptions of what Bautista and Navarro had been wearing when they disappeared.

The discovery brought an end to the search — but opened a much larger mystery.

WHY DID THE JEEP END UP IN THE RIVER?

Police have confirmed that the Jeep went over a steep embankment before entering the river.

Niles Police Chief James Millin said the vehicle traveled roughly 60 to 70 feet down the steep slope, striking trees before reaching the water.

The significant damage to the Jeep initially raised questions about what had happened.

However, investigators have said there is currently no confirmed evidence that another person deliberately forced the vehicle off the road.

At the same time, police are not ruling out any possibilities.

Chief Millin said investigators had received statements suggesting the women may have been followed or chased after leaving an establishment in Elkhart or while they were in Niles.

Police are now working to determine whether those reports are factual and, if so, whether they played any role in what happened.

THE ANSWERS MAY TAKE WEEKS

The official cause of death remains pending.

Investigators are waiting for autopsy and toxicology results, which could take weeks.

Until those results are available, authorities have not publicly established exactly how the women died or what caused the Jeep to leave the roadway.

Police have also not announced that foul play has been confirmed.

The investigation remains active.

TWO MOTHERS, THREE YOUNG CHILDREN LEFT BEHIND

For the families, the discovery has brought devastating certainty after days of uncertainty.

Navarro leaves behind a 3-year-old child.

Bautista leaves behind two children, ages 2 and 3.

Family members and friends had spent days searching, hoping the two women would be found safe.

Instead, investigators recovered their bodies from the river.

Now their loved ones are left waiting for one final piece of the story: what happened during those final moments before the Jeep disappeared into the darkness?

For now, that answer remains unknown.

Authorities say the investigation is continuing as they work to reconstruct the women’s movements and determine exactly how the vehicle ended up in the St. Joseph River.