😢 TRAGIC END TO HEARTBREAKING SEARCH: B0dy found in Delta-Mendota Canal confirmed as missing 21-year-old mom Lupita Zúñiga Ontiveros… after 11 agonizing days. 😢

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Authorities in Merced County have confirmed the identity of a body recovered from the Delta-Mendota Canal as 21-year-old Lupita Lizbeth Zúñiga Ontiveros, a Stockton mother who vanished following an off-road vehicle crash on January 28, 2026.

The Merced County Sheriff’s Office announced the discovery on February 10, 2026, stating that around 10:15 a.m., deputies responded to reports of a body in the canal near Whitworth Road and Cottonwood Road, south of Gustine. Aquatic rescue teams recovered the remains, which were transported to the Merced County Coroner’s Office for examination. The coroner positively identified the decedent as Zúñiga Ontiveros later that day.

The location is approximately seven miles downstream from the crash site near Highway 140 and Gravel Pit Road, where a Polaris RZR off-road vehicle entered the canal in the early morning hours of January 28. According to the California Highway Patrol (CHP), the incident occurred around midnight amid poor visibility due to darkness and dust. The vehicle was traveling at about 10 mph when it went into the water.

Three occupants—the driver and two passengers—managed to escape and reach the bank, sustaining moderate injuries that required hospital treatment. Zúñiga Ontiveros, a passenger, was unaccounted for. The RZR was recovered later that day, but extensive searches involving dive teams, boats, and ground crews failed to locate her until the body surfaced naturally after 11 days.

The driver, identified in reports as 21-year-old Elixandro Naranjo Miranda, initially left the scene but was later located and arrested. Authorities have not released details on charges or the cause of the crash, citing the ongoing investigation.

Zúñiga Ontiveros, a young mother to an 18-month-old daughter, was from Stockton and had been the subject of an intensive missing-person search since the accident. Family members, including her sister Judith Zúñiga Ontiveros, expressed profound grief upon confirmation. Judith told local media outlets like CBS Sacramento and YourCentralValley.com that the family had hoped for a different outcome. “We were hoping that it was her so this nightmare could finally end,” she said. “It was really devastating… I would have wanted to find her alive, not how she ended up.”

The family had previously voiced concerns about notification delays, search coordination, and jurisdictional challenges between agencies, as reported by the Los Banos Enterprise. Despite these issues, community members and volunteers joined official efforts to scour the canal and surrounding areas.

The Delta-Mendota Canal, part of California’s extensive irrigation system, is known for swift currents and cold water temperatures, factors that can complicate recovery operations in drowning or submersion incidents. Officials noted that bodies can resurface days or weeks later due to decomposition gases increasing buoyancy.

No foul play is suspected in the death at this time, with the incident appearing tied to the accidental crash. The Merced County Coroner’s Office will determine the official cause and manner of death following autopsy and toxicology results, though preliminary indications point to drowning or related trauma from the crash and submersion.

Zúñiga Ontiveros’s story has drawn widespread sympathy across California’s Central Valley. GoFundMe campaigns and community fundraisers have emerged to support her young daughter and family with funeral expenses and long-term needs. Relatives described her as a devoted mother whose absence leaves an irreplaceable void.

The case highlights risks associated with off-road vehicles near waterways, particularly at night. Authorities have urged caution when operating such vehicles in low-visibility conditions and emphasized the importance of life jackets and sober driving.

Merced County Sheriff’s officials expressed condolences in a public statement: “Our thoughts are with the family and loved ones of Lupita Lizbeth Zúñiga Ontiveros during this difficult time.” The CHP and sheriff’s department continue to investigate the crash circumstances, including speed, visibility, and any contributing factors.

For the family, the recovery brings painful closure after days of uncertainty and hope. As they prepare to lay Zúñiga Ontiveros to rest, the focus shifts to supporting her toddler daughter and honoring the young mother’s memory in a community touched by the tragedy.

The incident serves as a somber reminder of how quickly an outing can turn tragic, leaving loved ones to grapple with sudden, irreversible loss.