Two Submerged Bodies Recovered in St. Joseph River Amid Search for Missing South Bend Mothers

NILES, Michigan — Emergency rescue teams in Southwest Michigan have recovered a submerged SUV containing two deceased individuals from the St. Joseph River, bringing an agonizing multi-agency search to a critical turning point. As reported by regional public safety outlets serving northern Indiana and southern Michigan, including WNDU 16 News Now, underwater recovery teams extracted the vehicle on Tuesday afternoon, September 15, 2026, near a steep riverbank in Niles.

Initial Missing Persons Timeline

The initial missing-persons alert began when relatives reported Vanessa Bautista, 24, and Alexandra "Alexa" Navarro, 23, missing after they failed to return home from an outing in Elkhart, Indiana. Family members stated that the two young mothers—Navarro, a mother of a 3-year-old, and Bautista, a mother of two children aged 2 and 3—were last heard from at 3:41 a.m. Sunday, September 13, after dropping off a friend following a birthday celebration. The South Bend Police Department issued public safety alerts on Monday, September 14, as mobile device location data placed their last known location near Niles, Michigan.

Submerged Vehicle Recovery and Pending Verification

According to police statements from Niles Police Chief James Millin, dive teams located a dark Jeep Grand Cherokee submerged deep in the river current. Heavy tow cables hauled the vehicle onto the bank, where officers confirmed two individuals were deceased inside the cabin.

While official identification relies on upcoming autopsy findings and forensic testing by the Berrien County Medical Examiner's Office, investigators noted that the physical descriptions and clothing aligned directly with the missing South Bend mothers. Collision reconstruction specialists are analyzing road conditions, vehicle mechanics, and mobile device telemetry to establish the circumstances surrounding the crash.