A mother and her two young child disappeared in 2002. The case was just reopened this year.
Photo by Indiana State Police.
Update published Tuesday, October 19 at 12:00 pm:
On Monday, Anthropologists with the University of Indianapolis along with Indiana State Police Investigators examined the 1997 Nissan Pathfinder that was pulled out of the Ohio River on Thursday, October 14, 2021 near Lesko Park, Aurora, Indiana.
According to Indiana State Police, a human bone was located inside the vehicle.
The bone is being sent to a lab in attempt to determine its origin.
No other information has been provided at this time.
Original story published Friday, October 15th, 2021 11:01am:
(Left to right): Stephanie Van Nguyen, Kristina, and John. Photos via Delhi Township Police.
(Aurora, Ind.) – Police have confirmed a car pulled from the Ohio River near Lesko Park in Aurora is connected to a nearly 20-year-old missing persons case.
Dive teams from Hamilton County Police Association and IDNR were called to the scene on Thursday night where a 1997 Nissan Pathfinder was pulled from the river. The vehicle was located at a depth of over 50 feet and about 300 feet from the bank of the river.
Delhi Township Police say the vehicle is connected to an investigation that starting in April 2002 regarding the disappearance of Stephanie Van Nguyen, 26, and her two children, Kristina, 4, and John, 3.
According to Indiana State Police, the registration plate on the vehicle confirmed it belonged to Nguyen.
Nguyen left a not that said she was going to drive into the Ohio River. A lengthy investigation began; however, the case went cold.
In 2021, Delhi Police took a new look at the case. With advancements of side scan sonar technology, dive teams have been scanning the Ohio River over the past six months. Just last week, three unique objects were located – leading dive teams to Aurora on Thursday night.
Now that the vehicle has been removed from the water, Indiana State Police are assisting Delhi Police to determine if Mrs. Nguyen and her children were in the vehicle.
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