Jesslyn Zuniga death: Cops say girl may have killed herself, but family wants info on last date
HOUSTON, TEXAS: Another tragedy in Houston, Texas after an 18-year-old girl was found dead under an overpass after her first date with a guy. Police believe that the death was by a suicide, but the family insists that there is more to the story and are demanding answers.
Jesslyn Zuniga was an 18-year-old Houston, Texas native who was found dead on February 6, 2022, under an overpass at East Freeway and Gregg Street around 3am local time after going out on her first date with a guy. She had reportedly graduated from Channel View High School and has been described as "a beautiful girl full of life."
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At this time, Jesslyn's cause of death has not been revealed. More information is expected at a later time as police continue to conduct an investigation. The identity of the guy she went out with was also not yet revealed.
Police first believed that Jesslyn's death was a suicide, however, her parents argued that their daughter would have never intentionally jumped off the overpass and after new details emerged, an investigation was launched.
"We are honoring my daughter," Jesslyn's father Jose told ABC13. "She was a young, beautiful girl full of life. She would never jump off a bridge, she is full of life. She just graduated last year and it's not something she would do."
That night, Jesslyn was reportedly meeting a guy she had been talking to for about a month but when she never returned home, her family began to worry. "First time and she didn't end up coming back home, she ended up dying," Jose told the media outlet.
Witnesses told police that they had heard a disturbance and a man shouting near the area and then an unidentified man fled the scene on foot. The driver of a pickup truck later went to the Houston Police Department and said he had been involved in the crash and a woman was thrown from the truck, ABC13 reported.
Police are now looking at the case as a hit-and-run and are asking anyone with information to call HPD Hit and Run Unit at 713-247-4072 or Crime Stoppers at 713-222-TIPS.
"If you saw anything, if you saw the wreck, or a struggle, please contact police, Jose continued. "It would be a great help."
As of now, no charges have been filed in the case.
Jesslyn's death has reminded many of another tragedy Texas when 23-year-old Lauren Smith-Fields who was found dead in December 2021 following a date with a man she had met on Bumble.
The community is still shocked and many are praying for the loss soul through social media.