Niles Police investigate deaths of two women after Jeep plunges into river

Authorities are investigating the deaths of two mothers, Vanessa Bautista, 24, and Alexa Navarro, 23, after their Jeep plunged into the St. Joseph River in Niles, Michigan.

The victims, who were residents of South Bend, Indiana, were reported missing after leaving a club in Elkhart, Indiana, in the early hours of Sunday, September 13. Their bodies were discovered after the submerged vehicle was located in the river, approximately 11 miles north of their hometown.

Niles Police Chief James Millin stated that investigators are looking into reports that the women may have been ‘followed’ or ‘chased’ on the night they went missing. Police are working to determine if these actions played a role in the vehicle entering the river.