On the evening of July 10, 2021, 62-year-old Elena De La Cruz, a mother and grandmother from the Morris Heights neighborhood of the Bronx, New York, vanished. She was last seen at approximately 11:00 PM leaving her apartment on Grand Avenue. Surveillance footage captured her departure, but she never made it back home. At the time of her disappearance, Ms. De La Cruz was described as being 5 feet 3 inches tall and weighing around 110 pounds, with brown hair and brown eyes. She was reportedly wearing a white short-sleeved striped shirt, gray or green pants/leggings, and orange sandals. Ms. De La Cruz, a Spanish speaker, was known to have her hair cut short and sometimes wore a wig.
Her family grew increasingly worried when they were unable to contact her in the days that followed her last sighting. According to her daughter, Taina Roper, it was uncharacteristic of her mother not to inform someone of her whereabouts. Ms. De La Cruz had been courageously battling stage three cancer, and the treatments had left her in a frail condition. Despite her health challenges, she had recently received the positive news that her cancer was in remission. Her daughter mentioned that it was common for her to go to a nearby deli for snacks in the evening, which is what she is believed to have been doing the night she went missing. The last communication her daughter had with her was a missed phone call the night before her disappearance.
The New York City Police Department's Missing Persons Squad is handling the investigation into Elena De La Cruz's disappearance. Her family has made heartfelt public appeals for any information that could lead to her whereabouts, distributing flyers and searching hospitals and morgues. Despite their tireless efforts and those of law enforcement, no significant leads have emerged in her case. The circumstances surrounding her disappearance remain a painful mystery for her loved ones, who continue to hold out hope for her safe return. The case is an active and ongoing investigation, with the community and her family anxiously awaiting any news that might bring an end to their uncertainty.
Last Seen: Jul 10, 2021
