A 24-year-old New York woman who texted her mother to say she’d be home in half an hour was found dead near the entrance to the family home the next morning.
Alexandria Castano left her mother’s Mount Vernon home abruptly as they were making dinner at about 8pm on Monday night.
Lucia Castano told News12 she received a text from her daughter about 30 minutes later from Alexandria to say she was on her way home.
But she never arrived and didn’t answer her phone, and authorities discovered her lifeless body near the front door of the multi-family home on Tuesday.
Alexandria’s sister Cristina Benitez told News12 the family were desperate for answers.
“Someone did something to her, I know it. I just want to know what happened to my sister.”
Ms Benitez said her mother was distraught.
“She just kept saying, ‘Someone killed my daughter!’”
Ms Castano says she has no idea who contacted the police.
Westchester County Medical Office conducted an autopsy, and found no signs of assault or trauma.
Mount Vernon Mayor Shawyn Patterson Howard said toxicology reports were being conducted to try to establish a cause of death.
She said reports that of a “bloodied body” being found which were circulating in the media were incorrect.
“We are praying for the Castano family and we ask for you to lift them up with your prayers,” Ms Patterson Howard said.
