11
‘He Found Her’: Mom Recounts Son Discovering Missing Toddler in Creek
A Sad Story About a Missing Little Girl and the Neighbors Who Tried to Help
What Happened in San Antonio
On a Sunday evening in San Antonio, Texas, something very sad happened. A 2-year-old little girl named Aryana Trevino Martinez went missing from her neighborhood.
IMPORTANT NOTE FOR GROWN-UPS READING WITH CHILDREN:
This story has a sad ending. Aryana was found, but she did not survive. If you’re reading this with a young child, you may want to prepare them for this or skip to the "How People Helped" section which focuses on the kindness of neighbors.
What Is an AMBER Alert?
An AMBER Alert is like a giant "HELP US FIND THIS CHILD" message that goes out to everyone’s phones, TVs, and highway signs. It’s named after a little girl named Amber Hagerman. When police think a child has been taken or is in danger, they send this alert so as many people as possible can help look.
- Sunday at 7:45 PM – Aryana was last seen on Allegheny Drive
- Sunday night – Texas Department of Public Safety sent out the AMBER Alert
- Monday at 3:00 AM – The alert was canceled because Aryana had been found
How the Neighbors Helped
When Anna Marie Ramirez and her 22-year-old son Uriel Ramirez heard about the missing little girl, they immediately wanted to help.
CALLOUT: WHAT KINDNESS LOOKS LIKE
Anna Marie told her son: "We need to be a part of this and help."
They didn’t wait for someone else to do something. They acted right away.
Step-by-Step: How Uriel Found Aryana
- They thought about where a little kid might go – Uriel knew the neighborhood well because he’d lived there his whole life
- They guessed the creek area – There was an overgrown, water-filled creek near Belle Ellen road in the Dreamhill Estates neighborhood
- Anna Marie tried first – But the tall weeds were too thick to walk through
- Uriel kept going – He searched for about 15 minutes
- He got creative – He stood on a big rock to see over the tall weeds
- He felt something – Uriel said: "I just kept saying, ‘Please don’t be there. Please don’t be there. Please don’t be there.’"
Then he looked over and saw her - He didn’t hesitate – He jumped into the creek (not knowing how deep it was), picked Aryana up, and ran out of the water with her
- He yelled "I found her!" – His mom saw him running back with the little girl in his arms
What Happened After
- First responders (paramedics, firefighters, police) did CPR right away
- An ambulance came and took Aryana to the hospital
- Monday at 12:10 AM – The Bexar County Medical Examiner’s Office announced Aryana had passed away
- The cause of death is still being investigated – Police are looking at videos that show Aryana walking alone in an alley before this happened
- They want more videos – To make sure she wasn’t with anyone else
The Whole Community Came Together
This wasn’t just two people helping. Lots of neighbors from Glenoaks Park and Dreamhill Estates started searching as early as 9 PM Sunday night.
Search teams included:
- Neighboring families walking the streets
- Police helicopter searching from the air
- First responders searching on the ground
- K-9 units (police dogs)
CALLOUT: COMMUNITY MATTERS
Even though the ending is heartbreaking, dozens of strangers came together to look for a child they didn’t know. That’s what community looks like.
What We Know and What We Don’t
| We Know | We’re Still Learning |
|---|---|
| Aryana was 2 years old | Exactly how she got to the creek |
| She was last seen at 7:45 PM Sunday | Whether anyone was with her |
| Uriel Ramirez found her in the creek | The official cause of death |
| She was pronounced dead at 12:10 AM Monday | The full timeline of what happened |
| The community searched for hours |
Summary
A 2-year-old girl named Aryana Trevino Martinez went missing in San Antonio. An AMBER Alert went out. Neighbors Anna Marie and Uriel Ramirez joined the search. Uriel found her in a creek after searching for 15 minutes and standing on a rock to see over tall weeds. He jumped in, picked her up, and ran for help. First responders tried to save her, but she was pronounced dead early Monday morning. The whole neighborhood came together to search. Police are still investigating how this happened.
FINAL THOUGHT
Anna Marie Ramirez said it best: "I think we all should pray for the family. I know it’s going to be a long journey for them."
FAQ (Questions You Might Have)
What is an AMBER Alert exactly?
It’s an emergency message system that tells everyone in the area (on phones, TV, radio, highway signs) that a child is missing and might be in danger. It helps get thousands of extra eyes looking right away.
Why did Uriel stand on a rock?
The creek area had really tall, thick weeds that were too high to see over. By standing on a big rock, he could look down over the weeds and spot Aryana in the water below.
Did Uriel know CPR?
The article doesn’t say. But first responders (paramedics/firefighters) arrived quickly and did CPR. Uriel’s job was finding her and getting her out of the water fast – which he did.
How did a 2-year-old end up in a creek alone?
That’s what police are trying to figure out right now. They have video of her walking alone in an alley, but they don’t know the full story yet. They’re asking anyone with more videos to come forward.
What can I do if I ever see a missing child alert?
- Read the description carefully (what they’re wearing, where they were last seen)
- Check your own yard, driveway, and nearby areas
- Call the number on the alert if you see anything – don’t assume someone else already called
- Share the alert so more people see it
- Stay safe – don’t go into dangerous places alone
This article was written to help explain a difficult news story in simple terms. The original reporting was done by KSAT News in San Antonio. Copyright 2026 by KSAT – All rights reserved.
