VERNON HILLS, IL – Authorities have recovered a missing teenager’s SUV from a pond in Vernon Hills, Illinois. The vehicle, a gray 2008 Nissan Rogue, belongs to Brissa Romero, 17, who disappeared on December 4, 2023, while en route to a holiday work party.
The SUV was located at Executive Way & Lakeview Parkway, close to where Romero’s last cell phone data was traced. The vehicle, pulled from the pond, was empty, intensifying the search for Romero. Police now believe Romero was in the SUV when it entered the water, based on surveillance footage from a nearby fast-food restaurant and the last ping of her phone.
Romero’s disappearance and the subsequent discovery of her SUV have prompted a continued and extensive search effort. The Village of Cartersville Public Safety and local authorities are leading the investigation, with community members and emergency services involved in the search.