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Sara Celeste Otero, the missing California woman who disappeared under mysterious circumstances 12 days ago, has been found deceased, according to family members.
"The police found her body," her stepsister, Chelsea, confirmed Wednesday morning. "We were able to identify it based on her tattoos."
Otero had numerous distinctive tattoos, including a flower on her arm, the phrase, "It’s in our nature" on her right bicep and "Winnie the Pooh" on her ankle.
(Courtesy: Ryan Bear)
MISSING CALIFORNIA WOMAN SARA CELESTE OTERO GONE 10 DAYS, FAMILY ‘CONCERNED FOR HER WELL-BEING’
Otero was last seen leaving her mother’s home in Oceanside around 8:40 a.m. on Jan. 28. Her phone has been shut off since 10 a.m. that day. Her family described her as "outdoorsy" and said she frequented parks and beaches and loved to spend time outdoors.
She told her stepfather she was going to the gym to meet a friend, Chelsea said, but the friend was unaware of such plans and Otero never arrived.
Oceanside detectives found her vehicle Tuesday evening, a department spokesperson told Fox News Digital. They followed her trail to a remote, restricted area near Camp Pendleton and found her remains near a fence.
"Oceanside detectives were scouring areas like that knowing that’s kind of what she is known to frequent," said Jennifer Atenza, the spokesperson.
They confirmed her identity and notified the family before announcing the discovery Wednesday morning.
Atenza added that investigators did not suspect foul play and that the medical examiner would determine an official cause of death.
"She was very well known and very well loved," she said. "[She] worked at a couple of locations around the city, which is a very tight-knit community."
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Family members had worried she may have planned to harm herself. She had struggled with depression and overcome substance abuse issues in the past.
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline can be reached by calling 800-273-8255. For those who don’t want to speak to a counselor, there’s also a national Crisis Text Line available 24/7 by texting "home" to 741741.
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