Authorities identify 17-year-old girl found dead in ditch on Northeast Side

Kaitlin Elizabeth Hernandez was found strangled in a ditch on Dell Oak Drive; Crime Stoppers offers reward for tips

A body of a 17-year-old girl was found on Dell Oak Drive early Wednesday morning. (KSAT)

SAN ANTONIO – A 17-year-old girl who was found dead in a ditch on the Northeast Side has been identified.

The Bexar County Medical Examiner’s Office said Kaitlin Elizabeth Hernandez was strangled.

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A photo of Kaitlin Elizabeth Hernandez provided by the San Antonio Police Department/Crime Stoppers. (San Antonio Police Department/Crime Stoppers)

San Antonio police found her body when they were called to the 7600 block of Dell Oak Drive for a report of a missing person at around 11:30 p.m. Tuesday. Upon arrival, officers searched the area and found her phone and jacket before finding her naked body under a bridge.

Her body had signs of trauma and she was pronounced dead at 12:41 a.m. Wednesday.

According to police, she went for a walk with a neighbor on Tuesday evening but when he returned a few hours later, she wasn’t with him.

The man she was with, who is said to be a neighborhood friend, was detained for questioning.

Early Wednesday morning, SAPD released an image of a different “person of interest” on their Facebook page.

On Thursday, SAPD said the man had been identified and was cooperating. The man’s image was taken off SAPD’s social media accounts and a spokesperson advised media to also take down the images.

Also on Thursday, Crime Stoppers announced it is offering a reward of up to $5,000 for information leading to a felony arrest.

Tips can be made by calling Crime Stoppers at 210-224-STOP, texting “Tip 127 plus your tip” to CRIMES (274637), or using the P3 Tips app. Tipsters can remain anonymous.

The investigation into the death is ongoing.


About the Authors
Sarah Acosta headshot

Sarah Acosta is a weekend Good Morning San Antonio anchor and a general assignments reporter at KSAT12. She joined the news team in April 2018 as a morning reporter for GMSA and is a native South Texan.

Santiago Esparza headshot

Santiago Esparza is a photojournalist at KSAT 12.

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