The cause of death remains pending as investigators work to determine how the vehicle went over an embankment in Niles, Michigan.
NILES, Mich. — Medical examiners have identified two women found dead inside a Jeep submerged in the St. Joseph River as missing South Bend mothers Vanessa Bautista, 24, and Alexa Navarro, 23, as police investigate how the vehicle entered the water.
The confirmation Wednesday ended uncertainty over the identities of the women, who had been missing since early Sunday, Sept. 13. Their gray 2020 Jeep Grand Cherokee was recovered Tuesday from the river in Niles. Investigators have not determined what caused the vehicle to leave the roadway, and the women’s causes of death remain pending.
Niles police believe the Jeep went over an embankment in the area of Laurel Street and South Lincoln Avenue before entering the river. Police said investigators focused their search on the water after cellphone and vehicle information pointed them toward that area. Because officers did not initially have an exact location, crews searched portions of the river both above and below a nearby dam.
Police have said the vehicle was damaged as it traveled through trees, down the bank and into the water. Investigators had found no indication as of Wednesday that an outside force caused the damage to the Jeep, according to local reports. Authorities have not ruled on whether any criminal activity was involved, and police have cautioned that the investigation is continuing.
Bautista and Navarro disappeared after spending Saturday night with friends in Elkhart, Indiana. Relatives told local news organizations that the women had been at The Arena Nightclub and later dropped off a friend in South Bend. They were believed to have planned to get food afterward. Their families lost contact with them during the early morning hours Sunday, and location information later pointed toward Niles.
South Bend police initially handled the missing-person reports because both women lived in the city. Law enforcement agencies in South Bend, Elkhart and Niles later worked together as investigators tried to retrace the women’s movements across northern Indiana and southwestern Michigan. Family members and volunteers also searched the region while circulating information about the women and the Jeep.
The search drew growing concern from the families as the case crossed city and state lines. Relatives publicly sought clearer information about which police agency was overseeing the investigation. Niles police took the lead after the vehicle and the bodies were located within the city.
Police recovered the Jeep from the St. Joseph River on Tuesday after an intensive search that included law enforcement personnel and other resources. At first, authorities stopped short of formally identifying the women, saying only that their clothing matched descriptions of Bautista and Navarro. The medical examiner’s office serving Berrien County confirmed their identities Wednesday.
The deaths have left three young children without their mothers. Navarro was the mother of a 3-year-old child, while Bautista had children ages 2 and 3, according to WSBT. Relatives described the two women as longtime friends who had known each other since their school years. Marian High School, where they graduated in 2021, planned a Mass as their families and the community mourned them.
Investigators are also reviewing evidence from the Jeep and the area where it entered the river. Video reviewed by WNDU showed damage to a tree near the recovery area, while neighbors reported seeing police activity nearby early Sunday. Authorities have not said whether that activity was connected to the Jeep or explained why the vehicle was in that part of Niles.
Autopsy and toxicology findings are expected to play a major role in determining what happened. Police have not announced whether speed, impairment, a medical emergency, mechanical failure or another factor contributed to the vehicle entering the river. Officials have said the cause of death remains pending, and toxicology results could take weeks.
Niles police continued the investigation Wednesday as examiners worked to establish the women’s causes and manners of death. No final determination has been announced about why the Jeep left the roadway or whether any criminal conduct contributed to the deaths.
Author note: Last updated September 16, 2026.