OSCEOLA COUNTY, Fla. — More than four years after an Osceola County woman disappeared, her family has new hope for closure.
Paola Miranda Rosa, 35, was last seen swimming in the Otter Camp area of the Wekiva Springs State Park on December 18th, 2021, in a video captured by hikers.
We told you last month Osceola County Sheriff Christopher Blackmon is reviewing the cold case and Crimeline is now offering a 5-thousand dollar reward.
Paola’s family says they met with Sheriff Christopher Blackmon on Monday and came up with new tasks and a new game plan to tackle the case.
“They’re gonna re-review how the case was handled and the reporting that was done within those first two weeks,’ said Paola’s sister, Andrea Miranda, “We’re just wanting to cross things off, if possible, all the theories we have in our mind.”
On Wednesday, Andrea said one of the family’s longstanding requests was answered when she met with investigators to review records on her sister’s phone.
While investigators previously reviewed records and found nothing out of the ordinary, Andrea said she was hoping to make sense of clues left behind.
“Definitely like mixed feelings,” said Andrea, “I am hoping to at least get in her mindset to at least scratch off anything weird that stands out to me as a sister.”
It’s a request, Andrea said, that fell on deaf ears when Marcos Lopez was the sheriff overseeing the case. On Wednesday, Andrea said one of the family’s longstanding requests was answered when she met with investigators to review records on her sister’s phone.
In the days after her disappearance, Paola’s car was found abandoned in the state park.
At the time, approximately 150 law enforcement personnel from various agencies conducted an extensive search of the area where Paola was last seen.
The Osceola County Sheriff’s Office searched the river, bringing in specialized underwater equipment, but Paola was never found, and the case went cold.
The family credits the new sheriff for dedicating new time and resources to finding Paola.
“It’s like renewed hope for us,” said Andrea.
A spokesperson for Sheriff Christopher Blackmon stated that they were happy to meet with the family this week to discuss the case and addressIt’s a request, Andrea said, that fell on deaf ears when Marcos Lopez was the sheriff overseeing the case. concerns about the earlier investigation under Sheriff Marcos Lopez.
According to the spokesperson, there’s no definitive theory about what happened after Paola was last seen in the water, but deputies reviewing the case have now reached out to law enforcement and medical examiners North of Wekiva Springs State Park to inquire about unidentified remains.
The sheriff spokesperson also stated that investigators were working with the family to complete additional tasks.stated that they were happy to meet with the family this week to discuss the case and address
Paola’s family told Channel 9 they want answers no matter what.
“At this point, we just need to find what happened,” Andrea said. The sheriff spokesperson also stated that investigators were working with the family to complete additional tasks.
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