By Isabelle Wilson-
A suspect has been arrested after a 16-year-old cheerleader was found dead in her bathtub by her mother in Texas.
Lizbeth Medina, was found dead in her bathtub by her mother in Edna, Texas. Rafael Romero, an undocumented male subject, was arrested by the Edna Police Department on Saturday in connection with the shocking crime.
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The arrest took place in Schulenberg, approximately 50 miles away from Edna, where Lizbeth’s lifeless body was discovered the previous week. Texas Rangers took Romero into custody for capital murder, and he was subsequently transported to the Jackson County Jail. If convicted, Romero, 23, could face the death penalty.
Details surrounding Romero’s connection to the victim remain unclear, and it is uncertain whether he knew Lizbeth. The circumstances leading to the arrest suggest a horrifying tragedy that has left the community in shock.
Lizbeth, a cheerleader at Edna High School, had aspirations of becoming a nurse, according to her aunt Ana Medina. Describing Lizbeth as outgoing and generous, Ana Medina told NBC News, “She was always there for everybody – charming, young, and full of energy. That was all just cut short.”
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The grim discovery was made when Lizbeth failed to appear at a Christmas parade. Her mother, Jacqueline Medina, returned home on Tuesday evening to find her daughter’s lifeless body in the bathtub. Law enforcement officers arrived at the scene, confirming the tragic event.
Edna Police Chief Rick Boone expressed dedication to seeking justice for Lizbeth in a Facebook post on Sunday. Acknowledging the efforts of his officers, Chief Boone wrote, “They not only stepped up during their own shifts but worked many hours willingly on their days off and past their own shift times.”
Lizbeth, originally from Nebraska, had been living in Texas for about a year. Her family set up a GoFundMe page to raise funds for funeral and memorial expenses. On the page, Ana Medina wrote, “She was loved by many, but most importantly, she is loved and will be missed by the family.”
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