By Daily Mail (U.S.) | Created at 2024-11-05 15:30:37 | Updated at 2024-11-05 19:37:14
4 hours ago
The body of a missing Utah teen who was last seen wandering into a random home 'confused' has been found.
The Farmington Police Department discovered 19-year-old Mia Casto's remains near Rudd Creek on Sunday afternoon after she was reported missing around 12:40pm Saturday.
Casto was last seen in home surveillance footage dressed in a long coat, baseball cap and slippers, holding what appeared to be a violin case as she walked up to Brad MacDonald's home around 12:30pm on Friday.
Though it is unclear exactly how she died, Farmington Police Chief Eric Johnsen told FOX 13 News that Casto appeared to suffer a 'series of falls' and they believe her death was an accident.
The body of Mia Casto, 19, was discovered on Sunday afternoon near Rudd Creek, Utah, after she was reported missing on Saturday
The teen was last seen in home surveillance footage wandering into Brad MacDonald's home around 12:30 pm on Friday
MacDonald told KSL-TV that he initially thought the teen was a friend of his daughter, but his family soon realized nobody knew her.
After talking with his 16-year-old daughter for a while, Casto suddenly left the house.
'I told my daughter to follow her while I called the police, and so she followed her, and she walked out,' MacDonald recalled.
'She kind of walked over to the side of our house, and then they watched her walk across the road. There's a trailhead that goes up into the backcountry up there.'
Police officers soon arrived at his home, but Casto was nowhere to be found.
MacDonald told the outlet he didn't know she had been reported missing until he was informed on Saturday by neighbors and friends.
'I had felt guilty all day yesterday just knowing that she was here in our house, and we could have maybe stopped her or helped her more,' he said.
Though it is unclear exactly how she died, Farmington Police Chief Eric Johnsen told FOX 13 News they believe Casto suffered a 'series of falls', and they believe it was an accident
On Saturday, the teen's mother, Andrea Treseder, took to Facebook to urgently share information on her daughter's disappearance.
'Looking for my daughter Mia Casto. She is missing and hasn’t been seen since the afternoon of November 1 Farmington. She is confused. Please contact 911 if you see her or know anything,' Treseder said, adding that 'she loves animals.'
In an effort to help look for Casto, MacDonald and his wife gathered friends to help find her Sunday morning.
That same day her deceased body was found by search crews, K-9s, aerial drones and two helicopters, the Farmington City Police Department said.
After hearing the horrible news, MacDonald said: 'It was very emotional. I think we all, especially those of us who went up and looked for her this morning, none of us knew her at all.
'But you feel a connection to her when you're up there looking for her and then find out that she had passed away.'
A GoFundMe page was created to help the teen's loved ones during this challenging time.
'My brother's family lost their dear, sweet, loving daughter Mia so unexpectedly. She is a bright, talented violin player,' Mary Ann Jordan said.
'A quiet, vibrant, sweet, and adorable fun-loving woman! An intelligent, compassionate, and loving daughter, niece, granddaughter, and friend!
'Our time was cut shorter than we wanted or could ever expect. Her loss is truly felt in communities all over the world! We will never forget her!! We are reeling at her loss!! We will miss her dearly!!'
As of Tuesday morning, more than $5,000 was raised for her grieving family.
