Rescue teams searched the sea, and the local police also intervened, but they found no trace. Not a sandal, not even her small María cloth doll. Everything seemed to have evaporated into the humid coastal air of Jalisco.

The news spread: “Ten-year-old girl mysteriously disappears on the beach of Puerto Vallarta.” Some speculated she had been swept away by a wave, but the sea had been quite calm that day. Others suspected kidnapping—possibly linked to human trafficking operating near the borders—but security cameras captured nothing conclusive.

After several weeks, the family returned sadly to Mexico City, carrying a piercing pain with them.

From then on, Mrs. Elena began an endless search: she printed flyers with the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe for prayer alongside her daughter’s photo, asked for help from charitable organizations such as Las Madres Buscadoras, and traveled through neighboring states following rumors. But everything proved to be an illusion.