Authorities are investigating the discovery of the body in Oxnard that authorities said matches the description of a missing 13-year-old San Fernando Valley teen. Karma Dickerson reports for the NBC4 News at 5 p.m. on April 3, 2025.
The FBI and the Los Angeles Police Department are investigating the discovery of the body in Oxnard that authorities said matches the description of a missing 13-year-old San Fernando Valley boy.
Authorities found the body in a ditch off a road in the area of North Harbor Boulevard and West Gonzalez Road, near McGrath State Beach and the Santa Clara River.
Police said the body matched the description of 13-year-old Oscar Omar Hernandez, a student at Sun Valley Magnet School from the San Fernando Valley. The family said Oscar, who came to the United States from Honduras three years ago, took a train to Lancaster over the weekend to visit an acquaintance and do odd jobs for pay, but never came home.
He was reported missing on March 30 by his family, LAPD said.
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The family said they knew something was wrong when they tried to call Oscar and the acquaintance would answer, saying that the teen couldn’t come to the phone and then couldn’t remember when he dropped him back off at the train station to go home.
Details about the acquaintance's identity were not available Thursday morning.
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The teenager’s mother said she wants justice for her son. She told NBCLA sister station Telemundo 52 that there are no words and she does not wish this upon anyone.
She said her 13-year-old son was a lovable boy who really enjoyed soccer.
Although the teen's mother, loved ones and detectives believe the body is that of Oscar, they are still waiting on the Ventura County coroner to confirm the identification.
Investigators with the LAPD Robbery-Homicide Division were able to develop information that led them to an area of interest in Oxnard. There, authorities organized a foot search of the area in collaboration with the FBI and located the body.
"This is always a tragedy, when we find someone of this age that is deceased," said Deputy Chief Alan Hamilton with the LAPD. "We at the Los Angeles Police Department promise that we are going to follow every lead."
"We believe that he is 13 years old and believe he is from the Foothill Division area in the San Fernando Valley," said LAPD Deputy Chief Alan Hamilton.
The cause of the death is still under investigation.
"I really feel bad for Oscar Omar," classmate Ashley Cruz said Thursday. "He was only 13. He had a whole life ahead of him. He was very cheerful. He didn't pick fights, nothing."
A LAUSD spokesperson shared the following message with the Sun Valley Magnet school community: "I am saddened to report the recent death of one of our students off campus. On behalf of our entire school community, I want to offer my deepest condolences to those who are impacted by this loss, including the student’s family, friends, and school personnel. We request that the privacy of those who have been impacted be respected during this difficult time. Please know that our entire school community offers our support."
Crisis counselors will be available to students. The Student and Family Wellness Hotline at 213.241.3840 is open from Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
