Bone in sunken SUV belongs to woman who vanished with kids 20 years ago, Ohio cops say

Human remains found in an SUV submerged in the Ohio River belong to a woman who went missing 20 years ago, investigators said.

In April 2002, Delhi, Ohio, woman Stephanie Van Nguyen vanished along with her two kids, 3-year-old John and 4-year-old Kristina, the Delhi Township Police Department said. Nguyen left behind a note, saying she was going to drive into the Ohio River.

“A lengthy investigation began, however, the case went cold,” Delhi police said.

It wasn’t until recently that authorities found any sign of the missing mother.

With help from authorities in both Ohio and Indiana – and “advancements of side scan sonar technology” – the police department began looking into the case again.

For six months, crews scanned portions of the Ohio River. Then in October, they found something: a 1997 Nissan Pathfinder, the same model Nguyen drove, sunken in the river.

Aside from the vehicle, dive teams recovered another big piece of evidence: a human fibula bone, according to Indiana State Police Sgt. Stephen Wheeles.

Indiana and Ohio authorities have been working together on the investigation.

The bone was handed over to a team of expert anthropologists with the University of Indianapolis, who recently determined it matches Nguyen, the ISP announced Jan. 10.

However, no other remains were found, so the children – John and Kristina – are still considered missing, according to Wheeles.

“I am happy we were able to finally give Ms. Nguyen’s family some closure in this almost two decade long search for their loved one,” Wheeles said.

Another dive to search for any possible remaining clues or evidence is planned “once the weather improves,” he said.

This story was originally published January 11, 2022 at 7:46 AM with the headline "Bone in sunken SUV belongs to woman who vanished with kids 20 years ago, Ohio cops say."