HOUSTON – It’s been over a month now since a North East Houston woman vanished under mysterious circumstances. Maria Jiminez-Rodriguez still has not been found and her family is asking for the public’s help.
“It's just like the first day she vanished and we don't know anything about her,” said Gloria Jiminez, Maria’s sister.
It's been especially hard on Maria’s 3-year-old daughter. At a loss for what to say, her aunt tells her, “Mommy is at the doctor.”
“She keeps asking me, ‘Can I talk to mommy, if she's at the doctor?’" Gloria said. “And I keep telling her she can't speak right now. I don't know how long I can keep this story.”
Gloria Jimenez has lost sleep wondering what could have happened to her younger sister.
“Her daughter is suffering,” said Gloria. “She needs her mother. I'm sure if she's out there, she needs her family. She wants to come back home.”
On June 21, Maria dropped her 3-year-old daughter off with a babysitter, then headed to work. She never made it to work and a bizarre series of text messages followed with a coworker.
“That she's running late,” said Gloria. “That she's heading back home because the baby wasn't feeling good but she never came to get the baby and then later that day, she texted someone was following her.”
Her family now believes someone else might have sent the messages.
Maria's pickup truck was found abandoned a few days later, and her purse and cellphone were missing.
Texas Equusearch has canvassed the area and found nothing.
“We all need my sister,” said Gloria. “She's a mother, friend, coworker - we just need her back home.”
Police are on the case. In addition to that, her sister has started a GoFundMe page.
Gloria Jiminez hopes she can raise enough money to hire a private investigator.
If anyone has information on this case, you are asked to call police.