Karina Gaitan was 13 years old when she vanished from the Las Brisas Apartments near Blanco Road and Vista View in San Antonio, and more than two decades later, investigators still have not determined what happened to her. Her case remains open, and her missing-person description includes a cross-shaped scar burned into her right hand.
A Disappearance With Conflicting Dates
According to news4sanantonio.com, Gaitan was last seen at the Las Brisas Apartments on July 17, 1998. The Texas Department of Public Safety lists the same date in its missing-persons bulletin, describing a cross burned into her right hand between the thumb and forefinger and noting that she may be wearing glasses.
As reported by KHOU 11, Gaitan disappeared in San Antonio in 1998. The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children poster states that she was last seen at her residence in San Antonio and has not been heard from since.
The Scar That Defines Her Case File
A cross-shaped scar on Gaitan's right hand is one identifying detail in her missing-person descriptions. The missing-children's organization describes it as a scar in the shape of a cross on her right hand between her thumb and forefinger, matching the Texas DPS description of a cross burned into the same spot. The poster also notes she may be wearing eyeglasses, one of the few additional details available to anyone trying to recognize her today.
To help the public picture what she might look like now, the organization created an age-progression image showing Gaitan as she may appear at 35 years old, per the poster. A 2019 report from the same San Antonio television station also described the age-progression image.
Eight Leads, No Resolution
A 2019 report from the station said the organization had received eight leads in Gaitan's case up to that point. Robert Lowery, who oversees the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children's Missing Children's Division, told the outlet at the time that none of those leads had led to finding her.
The missing-person poster lists the San Antonio Police Department's number, (210) 207-7660, as a contact for anyone with information. Decades after she disappeared from a Blanco Road apartment complex, Karina Gaitan's case remains open.
