Yanara Fernández Méndez, a Cuban resident from Las Tunas, has been missing for nine months, and her family remains relentless in their search. They continue to raise awareness on social media, hoping for her safe return after she vanished on August 5, 2024. On that day, she reportedly left her partner's home intending to visit her mother, but never arrived.
Mirna Méndez, Yanara's aunt, issued another heartfelt plea on Facebook groups this Monday, seeking help in locating her niece. "Sadly, I find myself once again asking God for my niece YANARA FERNÁNDEZ MÉNDEZ, as today marks 9 months since she went missing. I keep wondering: where are you? What happened to you? Why haven't you returned?" Méndez expressed.
She also criticized the authorities' inaction: "I also question what the Las Tunas police are doing to find her," she stated while urging people to share her message, "so that all of Cuba knows there's a family grieving the loss of YANARA FERNÁNDEZ MÉNDEZ AND DEMANDING JUSTICE."
Méndez urged anyone with information about Yanara's whereabouts to reach out to the family at 31371465 and 31345329 or contact the police.
Initial reports on social media revealed that Fernández was last seen on August 5, departing from her partner's residence to visit her mother, according to her partner, whose identity remains undisclosed. With no word from her, the family immediately started their search and informed the police. However, in the following weeks, they lamented the lack of progress in the investigation.
Two weeks after her disappearance, her uncle, Néstor Leonardo Méndez López, stated they had searched "every corner we could imagine and every place she might have been seen," and expressed hope for "a miracle" that his niece "will be found safe and sound." "We appeal to human compassion: if someone has her, please return her; if anyone sees her, notify us quickly (...) The family, especially her mother, is very sad and worried," he emphasized, noting that Yanara requires medication, though he did not specify the condition.
In another post in November, her aunt also expressed concern about Fernández's health: "We hope she might be in another province and unable to return due to her medical condition; she's without her medication and might be in poor condition," she explained, without detailing what illness Fernández might be facing.
There has been a surge in reports of missing persons in Cuba recently. Families, in their desperation, turn to social media for assistance in finding their loved ones due to the absence of an official platform to spotlight these cases.
Key Questions About Yanara Fernández Méndez's Disappearance
When was Yanara Fernández Méndez last seen?
Yanara Fernández Méndez was last seen on August 5, 2024, leaving her partner's home to visit her mother.
How is Yanara's family seeking help?
The family is actively using social media to seek assistance and has urged anyone with information to contact them or the police.
What criticisms has the family made regarding the investigation?
The family has criticized the Las Tunas police for their lack of progress in the investigation.