AURORA, Ind. — A bone discovered in an SUV pulled from the Ohio River in October has been positively identified as belonging to Stephanie Van Nguyen, who — along with her two children — disappeared in 2002.
Nguyen disappeared in April of 2002. She left a goodbye letter at the home of her parents, along with jewelry and cash to pay for three funerals, and what police called a possible suicide note, outlining a plan to drive her car into the Ohio River and take her children with her.
In October 2021, divers pulled a green Nissan Pathfinder resembling the one Nguyen was driving in 2002 from the Ohio River. Inside the SUV, investigators discovered a bone identified as part of a human fibula.
There was no definite evidence of either children discovered in the SUV and officials plan to keep their missing persons case open until remains are located or their family files to have the court declare them legally deceased, according to a press release from the Dearborn County Coroner's Office.
