Caroline Davenport-Rios’ body was found near Highway 74 in Southern California, and authorities say her body may have been on the side of the road for days
Credit: Egon Bomsch/imageBROKER/Shutterstock
NEED TO KNOW
- A Southern California family is speaking out after a 39-year-old mom was found dead on the side of a remote stretch of highway
- Caroline Davenport-Rios’ body was found near Highway 74 on Aug. 12, days after her family last heard from her
- Investigators are treating the case as a possible hit-and-run, and Caroline’s family is questioning the circumstances of her death
A Southern California family is speaking out after a 39-year-old mom was found dead on the side of a remote stretch of highway.
The body of Caroline Melissa Davenport-Rios was found around 9:40 a.m. local time on Aug. 12 off the state’s Highway 74, located in the unincorporated community of Homeland, the Press-Enterprise reported, citing the California Highway Patrol (CHP).
CHP investigators are treating the death as a possible hit-and-run that took place sometime between Aug. 7 and Aug. 10.
Caroline’s family told ABC7 Los Angeles that CHP told them investigators believe the incident may have occurred three or four days earlier, based on the condition of the body.
Credit: Smith Collection/Gado/Getty
However, Caroline’s family has expressed some concern about the circumstances of her disappearance and death.
Jennifer Davenport-Rios, the victim’s sister, told ABC7 that she “wouldn’t be” walking along the highway in that area.
“She wouldn’t. I mean, that’s it. She just wouldn’t be,” the grieving sister said.
Jorge Ruiz, Caroline’s nephew, told the outlet that the family was also confused about the location where her body was found — as Homeland, a community located near the inland city of Hemet, is about eight miles from Caroline’s home in Perris, Calif.
“There’s just a field,” Ruiz said of the remote area. “What a coincidence that it’s in this spot where there’s not much cameras.”
Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
According to Jennifer, she last texted her sister five nights before the body was discovered at around 10:30 p.m., and her family shared that the iMessage history shows that her message was read.
The family also told ABC7 that around the same time, Caroline’s iPhone pinged for the last time — and they said the location data was nowhere near the stretch of Highway 74 where her body and cellphone were found.
If the case is a hit-and-run, Caroline’s family is urging anyone involved to come forward.
“It’s inhumane to hit somebody and keep going,” Ruiz said. “You don’t hit a 170-pound person and not realize that you hit them. They knew what they did.”
Related: https://people-app.onelink.me/HNIa/kz7l4cuf
“How do you leave someone like that for that long?” Jennifer added, referring to the three to four days that her sister’s body may have been on the side of the road.
The CHP has asked anyone who saw anything unusual or who has surveillance or dashcam video recorded near Steinhoff Avenue in Homeland from Aug. 7-10 to call 951-466-4300.
PEOPLE has reached out to the CHP for further information.
Read the full article here
