At a press conference Monday, Mayor Daniella Levine Cava announced that the identification of a 98th victim, the last person still listed missing, was found by search teams on July 20. The remains belonged to Estelle Hedaya, 54, according to a statement from the Miami-Dade Police, and her family had been notified.
The identification of a 98th victim in the collapse of Champlin Towers South in Surfside, Florida, brought the round-the-clock, painstaking process of searching for missing people to a close, and demobilized last Friday after the discovery..
After Remains of the final victim were located, medical examiners had been working since then to positively identify the victim before making Monday’s announcement, officials said.
According to Mayor Levine Cava said, “To be sure that all identifiable human remains are recovered, Miami-Dade police officers would continue sorting through the evidentiary pile. Also, any personal effects found could be returned to loved their ones.”
“Nothing we can say or do can bring back these 98 angels,” Levine Cava said, “who left behind grieving families, beloved friends, and loved ones across this community and across the world.”
“I’m especially proud that through these efforts, we were able to bring closure to all those that reported missing loved ones, “Levine Cava, added.
Miami-Dade County officials said investigators eventually determined that 97 people were reported missing in the collapse. An additional victim, who died in the hospital was never reported missing, made the total 98.
I suppose… glad everyone is accounted for. The ‘not knowing’ would probably be th hardest for family. Just very sad and my heart goes out to those families. 😥