17yo Girl raped and murdered by her 15yo male friend she knew for 2 years.

17yo girl raped and murdered by her 15yo male she was good friends with for 2 years. Family found her naked under a bridge in a drainage culvert. 🥺

Kens5 news, 5/1/24: SAN ANTONIO — A 15-year-old boy has been charged with the capital murder of a 17-year-old girl found dead in a ditch in March, authorities say. 

San Antonio Police say a juvenile is accused in the strangulation death of Kaitlin Hernandez, who reportedly left her northeast-side home with a male friend on the evening of March 12 and didn't return home. 

Authorities say the family called the teen's phone, to no avail. 

Eventually, an unknown man answered the phone and said he found the cell in a drainage ditch. That man met with the family to return the phone and cooperated with the investigation. 

Hernandez's family then called authorities, who began searching for the teen. Her naked body was eventually found under a bridge in a drainage culvert in the 7600 block of Dell Oak, only a few hours after she was last seen. 

Officers said Hernandez's body showed signs of trauma and possible sexual assault. She also appeared to be dragged to the location where she was found. The medical examiner confirmed Hernandez had been strangled.

A teenage boy was last seen with Hernandez, but according to authorities there wasn't enough evidence to charge him or anyone else early on.

Investigators continued their search for answers and determined the teenage boy was the main suspect in the case. DNA was then taken from the suspect and Hernandez; he was taken into custody after DNA results came back.