An underwater search and dive team said Monday that they found missing teen Kiely Rodni’s vehicle within a day of searching several bodies of water in California.
As CrimeOnline previously reported, divers with Adventures with Purpose, which is an “underwater sonar search and recovery dive team helping families locate missing loved ones underwater,” found the vehicle Saturday while using divers and sonar.
The team scoured nearby Donner Lake and other smaller bodies of water on what would have been on the route home that night for 16-year-old Kiely. She attended a party at the Prosser Family Campground in Truckee on August 5, then disappeared shortly after texting her mother on August 6 around midnight.
The team then began a search of Prosser Creek Reservoir on Sunday. Shortly after, they posted a YouTube video, detailing how they found the car with (presumably) Rodni’s body inside.
According to the San Francisco Chronicle, a representative of the search team, Doug Bishop, said that although it hasn’t been officially confirmed, he was “sure” that a medical examiner would identify the body as that of Kiely within the next few days.
Bishop added that all of the information collected during the search and investigation hasn’t been divulged, since there is an ongoing investigation by numerous law enforcement agencies, including the FBI.
“We will be working with authorities to share this knowledge over the next couple of days. It is always our mission to promote and share the techniques we utilize so that our purpose can help as many people as possible,” Bishop said.
Bishop said the team decided to search the bodies of water, although local law enforcement told them not to and that authorities had already searched the area “extensively.”
Nevada County Sheriff Captain Sam Brown responded Monday that police did say that the area had been “extensively searched.” However, he added, the search team’s claim that law enforcement told them not to search the area is probably “not accurate.”
“[We] never gave any indication we knew where [Rodni] was at,” Brown said.
Police said they are appreciative of the search organization for their assistance, adding that they’re also appreciative of volunteers who previously swam in waters while trying to find the teen.
According to the California Highway Patrol, there are “a lot of factors” in the case that could take anywhere from “several days to several weeks” to get through.
A cause of death has not been determined. An autopsy is scheduled for Tuesday.
A toxicology test will also be performed, but the results could take up to four to six weeks, police said.
Check back for updates.
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[Featured image: Family Handout]
