HCSO’s Releases Details On How Missing 23-Year-Old Was Located

On Thursday, July 16, 2020, Evelyn Avendano-Acosta was reported missing to the Hays County Sheriff’s Office.

Multiple law enforcement agencies responded to the area where she was last seen and along with Hays County CERT (Community Emergency Response Team), TEXSAR (Texas Search and Rescue), and Hays County Emergency Management, they began preparing to search the area.

Information about Evelyn being missing was sent out on multiple social media accounts through the utilization of the new Sheriff’s Office app.

It was later learned that a good Samaritan saw Evelyn walking and stopped to see if she needed assistance.

The good Samaritan provided Evelyn a ride, food, and shelter for the evening.

A co-worker of the good Samaritan saw the post about Evelyn missing on the Hays County Facebook page and asked the Samaritan if the person they provided for could be the missing person and it was determined that it was.

With the help of the good Samaritan and the use of social media, the Travis County Sheriff’s Office and Hays County Sheriff’s Office detectives were able to contact Evelyn and confirm that she was safe and healthy.

Hays County Sheriff Gary Cutler wishes to thank the multiple law enforcement agencies, CERT, TEXSAR, and the Office of Emergency Management, and all those involved in locating Evelyn.

Sheriff Cutler also wants to recognize the good Samaritan who cared for and made sure Evelyn was ok.

Sheriff Cutler said, “this is a perfect example of the importance of social media and how the Sheriff’s Office and the public can work together”.

The Hays County Sheriff’s Office just released a new app that will streamline the way law enforcement and the public can interact with each other.

Sheriff Cutler went on to say, “technology is always changing, and the Sheriff’s Office needs to stay up to date and work closely with the citizens of Hays County. Yesterday was a great example of what that can look like.”