Body of missing 17-year-old found in Loxahatchee, prompting homicide investigation
By Taylor Lang & Ari Hait
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LANTANA, Florida (WPBF) — The body of missing 17-year-old Manny Castaneda was found Wednesday afternoon in Loxahatchee.
Palm Beach County deputies said detectives with the violent crimes division were investigating when his body was found near 120th Avenue and 75th Lane North.
The investigation is now being treated as a homicide.
A GoFundMe has been created for funeral expenses and the bereavement leave of Castaneda’s mother, who WPBF spoke with Tuesday. To donate, click here: gofundme.com/f/ejwdc-emmanuel-castaneda
Elluvia Francisco smiled when she was asked about her son, 17-year-old Manny Castaneda.
“We’re just very close,” she said. “People would think we’re siblings.”
Francisco went on to describe Castaneda as “a great kid with a good heart.”
“The last thing he said to me: ‘OK, mom. I love you. I’ll be back,’” Francisco said.
That was Saturday night around 6 o’clock. Castaneda left their Lantana home to hang out with friends in Lake Worth. His curfew was 12:30 a.m.
Francisco waited up.
“Time went by — 3 o’clock. I was sitting outside on the porch seeing if the car arrives,” she said. “I was like, ‘He’ll be home. He’ll be home.’ 5 o’clock came. He never made it.”
Francisco tried texting and calling, but nothing went through. On Sunday, she called the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office and filed a missing persons report.
“It’s not like him, because he knew I had to work the following day,” Francisco said. “He knows he has to have the car home. That’s the car we share.”
This is a developing story and will be updated as information becomes available.
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