Paola Miranda-Rosa: Everything we know about missing Florida woman

‘At this point, we’re searching everywhere for her,’ sister says

Florida woman Paola Miranda-Rosa has been missing since 18 December after visiting a state park north of Orlando.

Her last contact with her family was on 17 December when she had lunch with her mother and uncle.

Filmed swimming in river by hikers

On 5 January, police announced that Ms Miranda-Rosa had been identified by her family in video footage taken by hikers showing her swimming and wading in a river on the day she disappeared in Wekiwa Springs State Park.

The 31-year-old can also be seen in two photos taken by the hikers that day.

The search effort

The Sheriff’s office said they plan to search four and a half miles of the river around the area where Ms Miranda-Rosa was seen, using camera equipment that “has the capability to see into hard-to-reach areas that cannot be explored by standard scuba equipment”.

Paola Miranda-Rosa can be seen in photos taken by hikers on 18 December (Osceola County Sheriff’s Office)

For three days last month, more than 150 law enforcement officers searched the park using planes, drones, boats, scuba divers, bloodhounds, and volunteers riding on horses.

The Orlando Sentinel reported that Ms Miranda-Rosa had lunch with her mother and uncle on 17 December and went to the state park the following day.

“After that Paola has just vanished,” her sister Andrea Miranda said, according to the paper. “The park has been completely searched. She’s not there. At this point, we’re searching everywhere for her.”

Her car was found at Wekiwa Springs State Park on 21 December, but no other indication of her location has been found.

Past mental health problems

Her mother, Ivonne Rosa, told Telemundo 31 in December that her daughter’s past mental health problems could have been a part of her getting confused and becoming lost, but it remains unclear if it’s a factor in her disappearance. She added that her daughter may need help finding her way back home.

Police have said that Ms Miranda-Rosa has battled schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.

Foul play isn’t suspected, the Sheriff’s office has said.

‘We love you, we are waiting for you,’ family says

Speaking in Spanish in a YouTube video posted in December, Ms Rosa said her daughter “had already bought her Christmas presents for her doggies”.

“She never used to go out and leave her dogs alone at her house,” she added. “She left with the purpose of returning to her home. We do not know what happened that she did not return, she did not go back to her house.”

“It’s hard to even focus on the fact that it’s the holiday season. I don’t even know what day it is right now,” Andrea Miranda told Fox 35 on 22 December. “We see Christmas lights around us. We see that. But you are tunnel vision on the mission of finding her.”

“We immediately felt like something was wrong. It’s just not normal,” she added.

“Of course, it hurts this holiday. We want her with us, but we have to do what we have to do,” Ms Miranda said.

The missing woman’s father, Gustavo Miranda, told Telemundo 31: “We love you, we are waiting for you. Everyone. Family, your friends, and people who don’t even know you.”

“We’re not giving up,” Mr Miranda said last month. “We don’t want anybody to give up. We want you to know that Paola was extremely loved. She loved us.”

Police and family asks public for information

“Don’t be afraid to share it, even if it’s wrong, like if it’s somebody else. We want her home,” Andrea Miranda told Fox 35 on 22 December. “Paola, we love you! We want you home!”

Ms Miranda-Rosa has been described as being 4 foot 10 (147 cm) and around 145 pounds (66 kg). Her hair is reported to be reddish-violet in colour and she has brown eyes.

The Osceola County Sheriff’s Office has asked anyone with information about the disappearance to call 407-348-2222.