Gustine, CA (February 17, 2026) — Authorities and family members have confirmed the recovery and death of Lupita Lizbeth Zúñiga Ontiveros, the 21-year-old Stockton mother who went missing after a dune buggy crash in Merced County on January 28, 2026.
According to law enforcement, the off-road vehicle Lupita was riding in entered the Delta-Mendota Canal near State Route 140 and Gravel Pit Road shortly after midnight. Three other occupants were able to escape the water. Lupita did not resurface.
The case prompted extensive search efforts, including hundreds of community volunteers who searched along the canal and surrounding farmland for weeks…