A missing student has been found dead after reportedly telling her pastor “I’m not okay”.
Narela Micaela Barreto worked as a translator and waitress, and vanished without a trace on 23 January.
Narela, a tourism graduate, had an up-to-date visa and documentation and maintained regular communication with her family until her disappearance.
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Friends and relatives launched an urgent appeal for information on social media and distributed flyers with a contact number for anyone with potential leads.
The 27-year-old disappeared in Los Angeles after moving to California from her home country of Argentina two years ago, as reported by Need To Know.
The flyer read: “Please share, this is my friend.
“She was last seen on 23 January in the city of Los Angeles.
“Please, whatever information you have, you can contact this number at any hour.”
Her father travelled to California to help with the search and confirmed that she had been found dead yesterday (29 Jan).
The family has yet to announce the cause of death or whether foul play is suspected.
The police have not released details about the location or condition in which the body was found.
The Argentine Consulate in Los Angeles has confirmed they are aware of the case and are assisting the family with the necessary procedures.
The victim’s cousin Milagros said she recently started a new job, but they don’t know where.
She said Narela, who hailed from Banfield near Buenos Aires, was last seen getting into a taxi outside her apartment block by a neighbour.
The family is calling on the authorities to review the building’s CCTV footage to identify the cab and the route she took.
Several weeks before her disappearance, Narela sent a concerning audio message to her evangelical minister in Argentina.
She told Pastor Emanuel Picone: “I am alone here but I am not alone, I am with God.”
Narela also mentioned the death of her sister in Argentina and how much it affected her.
She told the minister that she had not been able to fully process her passing due to the distance and not being able to travel home to say goodbye.
The pastor said they maintained sporadic contact via WhatsApp afterwards but then she suddenly stopped messaging.
The investigation into her death is ongoing.
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