Cause of Death Revealed for Missing Mom Who Was Found Inside Submerged Car

The cause of death for Consuelo Bernabe, a Texas mother of seven, has been revealed.

Bernabe, 39, was found dead inside her Dodge Caravan on Monday, Aug. 18, after the minivan was pulled out of the Brazos River in Waco, Texas.

On Thursday, Aug. 21, the Waco Police Department revealed that her preliminary autopsy results found she died of drowning, and no foul play is suspected at this time.

Her final autopsy results are still pending, and the investigation remains ongoing.

Before her body was discovered on Monday, Aug. 18, she had gone missing on Friday, Aug. 15, per her daughter Maria Romero’s social media post on Sunday, Aug. 17. 

One of Bernabe’s daughters, Hermelinda Romero, told ABC affiliate KXXV that her mother was last seen at a bar in Lott, Texas. Bernabe called the family while out at the bar and said she was waiting for a man to come and pick her up, Hermelinda explained. Bernabe’s family told the outlet they believed she had been intoxicated at the time of the call.

On Monday, Aug. 18, at 10:10 a.m. Waco Police Officers received a report that a Dodge Caravan was located in the Brazos River. “Fire dive team, Texas Game Wardens, and Tow King assisted in pulling the car out of the river,” the Waco Police Department reported. Her body was removed from the vehicle, and next of kin were alerted. 

Bernabe was publicly identified as the victim on Tuesday, Aug. 19. The Waco Police Department initially classified her death as “questionable” before the autopsy results, it said on Wednesday, Aug. 20.

Her son, David Romero, told CBS affiliate KWTX that it was uncharacteristic of his mother to disappear and not tell anyone.

“I wasn’t trying to overthink. I was like, ‘But that’s not like my mom.’ She always has her phone on her, she’ll answer any call and message that you send her,” David said.

Bernabe’s son remembered that his mother always smiled, and told the outlet that “she always took care of her kids,” who were “her main priority.”

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Maria paid tribute to her mother on Facebook, writing, “Rest in peace ma I love you so much words can’t explain I wanna see your beautiful smile again now every time I go in your room i will cry and just be like why you but we will get JUSTICE SERVED can’t wait to see again.”

Hermelinda created a GoFundMe page to help the family with the unexpected funeral expenses.