Hania is a Hispanic female, 5 feet tall, weighing approximately 126 pounds. She has black hair and brown eyes. She was last seen wearing a blue shirt with flowers and blue jeans. (FBI)
The FBI said authorities have located a body while searching for missing 13-year-old girl Hania Noelia Aguilar, who went missing in early November.
The remains were found near Wire Grass Road in Robeson County on Nov. 27, FBI Public Affairs Specialist Shelley Lynch told ABC News.
“FBI & Lumberton PD found a body in an area off Wire Grass Road in Robeson Co 4:45pm. The body has not been positively identified, but agents were following leads related to the search for 13-year-old Hania Aguilar. Please continue to pray for Hania, her family, & each other,” the FBI office in Charlotte wrote on Twitter.
The body has not been identified yet.
Wire Grass Road is among several of the roads where the FBI had previously asked the public for surveillance footage, WLOS reported.
Lynch said the body was found while following leads related to the girl’s case, adding her family was notified.
“The body has not been positively identified, but investigators with the FBI, Lumberton PD, the SBI, and the Robeson County Sheriff’s Office were following leads related to the search for 13-year-old Hania Aguilar when the discovery was made,” Lynch told ABC13.
The FBI has not released any more details about the new development.
On Nov. 5, Hania was forced into a stolen SUV while she was outside her house in Lumberton, say officials.
Witnesses said a man wearing all black with a yellow bandana forced her into the vehicle before driving away. The SUV was located, but not the driver or Hania.
The remains were found near Wire Grass Road in Robeson County on Nov. 27, the FBI said (Google Street View)
Officials are offering a $30,000 reward has been offered for information that leads to the location of the girl or information that can lead to an arrest and conviction.
Hania is described as a Hispanic girl who is around 5 feet tall and 125 pounds with black hair and brown eyes.
She was seen wearing a blue shirt with flowers and blue jeans.
Other Details
The FBI said earlier this week that it and the local Lumberton Police Department have investigated 800 leads, reviewed surveillance footage, and interviewed about 400 people, said the FBI.
“Think through what you’ve seen since November 5th, have you seen a discarded pair of shoes, did someone try to sell you shoes, did they show up in a donation bin? We want to make sure we draw attention to the shoes because they are distinctive and the kidnapper could try and get rid of them for that reason,” said FBI Supervisory Senior Resident Agent Andy de la Rocha in the FBI release. The FBI also released images of her shoes.
The FBI also described the abduction and 911 call.
“A female caller speaking Spanish was on the line, and the Robeson County dispatcher quickly requested a Spanish translator to join the call. Initial reports during the 911 described the abductor as a black male,” the agency wrote.
“During follow-up interviews, investigators determined the witness had not seen the race of the abductor because he was wearing all black, including long sleeves, and a yellow bandana over his face. The information was transferred to the Lumberton Police Department who received the call at 6:58 a.m.”
Jack Phillips is a breaking news reporter with 15 years experience who started as a local New York City reporter. Having joined The Epoch Times' news team in 2009, Jack was born and raised near Modesto in California's Central Valley. Follow him on X: https://twitter.com/jackphillips5
