CONCORD, N.C. — A weekend search for a missing teenage girl ended in tragedy after authorities confirmed she was found dead following a powerful winter storm that swept through the area.
According to the Concord Police Department, 18-year-old Yadira Hernandez Castro was reported missing by her parents around 9:30 a.m. Sunday after they were unable to reach her.
Just hours later, on February 2, 2026, around 5:30 p.m., officers located Castro deceased during a second land search in the city.
Police say Castro was reportedly intoxicated and last seen leaving a friend’s home on Pine Street NW around 10:30 p.m. Saturday night. Investigators confirmed her parents spoke with her on the phone approximately 20 minutes later, around 10:50 p.m.
After she never made it home, concern quickly turned into a search as freezing temperatures and snowfall moved into the area overnight.
No Signs of Foul Play
During the second search operation, officers discovered a deceased individual matching Castro’s description. Authorities say there is no evidence of foul play, and investigators believe extreme cold exposure likely contributed to her death.
Goldsboro Woman Charged With DWI After Allegedly Going 103 MPH In Snowstorm With Child In Car
The case remains under investigation while the state medical examiner works to determine the official cause of death.
