Fatality: Lupita Zúñiga Ontiveros dies in fatal Gustine, California dune buggy crash

Lupita Zúñiga Ontiveros dies in fatal Gustine, California dune buggy crash

Fatal Gustine, California dune buggy crash death of Lupita Zúñiga Ontiveros – Obituary

The family of Lupita Zúñiga Ontiveros, a 21-year-old mother, has received some measure of closure after her body was located days after a tragic dune buggy accident that threw her and three others into the water near Gustine.

Relatives said they remain confused about the circumstances surrounding her death. Her uncle, Cesar Ontiveros, expressed frustration, saying they still do not understand why she was the only passenger who did not make it out of the water alive. He added that investigators have shared very little information while the case remains under review.

The Merced County Sheriff’s Office reported that deputies received a call at about 10:15 a.m. on Feb. 8 regarding a body discovered in a canal roughly seven miles from where Ontiveros was last seen. The agency’s Water Recovery and Rescue Team responded and retrieved the remains.

Officials with the Merced County Coroner’s Office later confirmed her identity on Feb. 10, identifying her as the missing Stockton mother.

In the days before the discovery, members of her community organized efforts to assist in the search and offered comfort and assistance to her grieving family as they awaited answers.