Karina Michelle Gaitan

• Missing Since 07/18/1998
• Missing From San Antonio, Texas
• Classification Endangered Missing
• Sex Female
• Race Hispanic
• Date of Birth 10/02/1984 (39)
• Age 13 years old
• Height and Weight 5'6, 160 pounds
• Clothing/Jewelry Description A black mid-calf length t-shirt dress with pearl buttons on the front and cap sleeves, a black skirt or pair of wind shorts with white stripes on the side, and black slip-on Reebok beach sandals with white lettering.
• Distinguishing Characteristics Hispanic female. Brown hair, brown eyes. Karina may wear purple-tinted contact lenses or eyeglasses with tortoiseshell frames and brown or yellow lenses. At the time of her disappearance, her hair is styled in bangs and her fingernails and toenails were painted. She has a cross-shaped burn scar on her right hand between her thumb and forefinger. Karina's nickname is Twiggy. She wears a shoe size 6 or 7.

Details of Disappearance

Karina was last seen at approximately 1:00 a.m. on July 18, 1998 in her hometown of San Antonio, Texas. She was at Las Brisas Apartments on Blanco Road and Vista View at the time. She apparently sneaked out of the house in the middle of the night to meet friends at a nearby apartment complex, but they stated she never showed up. She has never been heard from again.

Karina did not take her purse or other personal belongings, and she left the front door unlocked, suggesting she planned to come home within a short time. Karina never returned, however.

She was a student at Eisenhower Middle School in 1998, and lived with her mother and older brother. Her mother stated she had no history of running away and, at the time of her disappearance, she was excited about an upcoming family vacation.

Some agencies classify Karina's disappearance a runaway case, but the circumstances of her disappearance are unclear and foul play is possible.