Search teams in the Bío Bío region are entering their eleventh day of a desperate hunt for 86-year-old María Eufemia Muñoz Valdebenito. The grandmother went missing from her residence in the La Capilla sector, located 15 kilometers north of Los Ángeles, on April 3.
Her family reports that Muñoz Valdebenito suffers from Alzheimer’s disease and hypertension, conditions that have heightened their concerns for her survival. Her daughter, Anguilly Roa, said the last confirmed sightings placed her mother near the gate of their home.
“They say they saw her at the house gate talking to someone and then at the bus stop across the street, but after that, nothing is known,” Roa told Radio Bío Bío. The family discovered her absence the following morning when a relative arrived for breakfast and found the house empty.
Roa believes the recent death of her brother, who lived with the elderly woman, may have negatively impacted her mother's mental state. Her grandson, Daniel Cuevas, noted that the search has been hampered by the dense, overgrown vegetation surrounding the rural property.
Official investigation underway
The Public Prosecutor's Office has officially opened a missing person investigation and tasked the Investigative Police (PDI) with leading the operation. Search crews, including the PDI, local firefighters, and the Emergency Response Brigade (BRAE), are currently combing the area.
Despite these efforts, no trace of the woman has been found. Officials are also looking for a medium-sized, brown dog named Kisha, who disappeared alongside Muñoz Valdebenito.
Muñoz Valdebenito stands 1.60 meters tall and has a fair complexion with gray hair. She was last seen wearing a black fleece vest, gray sweatpants, and purple sandals. Authorities are urging residents in the La Capilla sector to check their properties and report any information immediately.
