CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Nearly two decades have gone by since the Torres family saw Christina Torres. Just before 2000 became 20001, she was supposed to pick up her daughter, from her father's house, but she never arrived.
Since then, they've wondered where could she be?
"Every year, January the 2nd, I put it out there and I hope that people will share it and see it and know something or say something," Christina's sister, Cynthia said.
Torres recalled the panic and confusion when Christina didn't pick up her own daughter or call the rest of her family members before the New Year in 2000. They filed a missing persons report with police. Cynthia said a week later, investigators found her car off of I-37 near Mathis.
"Once they found her car, then I knew something was wrong, I knew something had happened to her," Cynthia said.
Cynthia said there was a handwritten note on her car which read 'don't look for me,' in her handwriting. Later, investigators discovered another note in Christina's work locker which allegedly explained how she wanted to start over.
Cynthia said she was aware that her sister wanted to move away and start anew, but not without her young daughter.
"She would not leave her daughter behind, she would've at least told me something like you know, I'm gonna go out of town or just something you know, just gonna go for a week just to get away, she would've said something," she said.
All of this lead Cynthia and her remaining family members to believe that Christina isn't alive. Although everyone who was close to her was questioned, Cynthia said nothing ever came out of it.
The family still holds onto a glimmer of hope that maybe Christina is alive and will be found, or if she isn't someone will come forward with information. Regardless, Cynthia and her husband continue to support Christina's daughter, who now lives in San Antonio.
"You know how can you go on without your mom? it's hard, she needs her mom, and so I try to be there with her. I always remind her, your mom would be so happy, so proud," Cynthia said.
In the meantime, Cynthia remembers the happy times with her little sister, like her passion for music and dancing.
"I hear country music and it reminds me of her, especially Shania Twain she just loved dancing to 'Man I Feel Like a Woman,'" Cynthia said.
Christina is still listed as a missing person on the Texas DPS website. If you have any information regarding to her disappearance, please contact the Corpus Christi Police Department at (361) 886-2600.
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