A family is seeking answers after the body of Josefina Montesdeoca, 69, was found in a manhole behind their home. She had been reported missing on Friday, September 13, by her daughter, Stephanie Lopez, who had searched nearby areas without success.
Lopez noted that her mother’s phone appeared to be off despite sharing its location, prompting them to report her missing to the Harris County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO). However, after receiving only a case number, they were frustrated to learn the missing persons unit was closed on weekends. A search and rescue group declined to assist without HCSO’s approval.
Fortunately, friends from church conducted their own search and quickly located Montesdeoca. “They found her! I thought she was sitting up, not in that hole,” Lopez recalled, expressing disbelief at the circumstances of the discovery. Lopez believes her mother may have been praying for help.
The manhole where Montesdeoca was found is on a property that borders their home, which features a chain-link fence separating it from an overgrown area. Lopez’s husband noted that the man who found her had to clear grass to see the body.
The family is puzzled as to why Montesdeoca was in that area, as they weren’t aware of her going there. Since her death, signs prohibiting entry have been posted, and the manhole has been covered. “It is ridiculous, and nobody cares until something happens,” Lopez lamented.
During their search, Lopez and others also discovered an unfinished pool and rescued a stranded dog, naming it Joseph in honor of Montesdeoca, who adored dogs.
Media is investigating who is responsible for the maintenance of the manhole. The medical examiner’s office has yet to determine Montesdeoca’s cause of death, a process that could take months.
