A missing 21-year-old man was found dead after he crashed into a deep canal in California just before his family celebrated Christmas.
The nightmare began between Wednesday, Dec. 24, and Thursday, Dec. 25, when family members reported a 21-year-old man missing, the California Highway Patrol said in a news release shared with PEOPLE. The man was later identified as Carlos Mendoza of Fresno, officials confirmed.
With the help of phone location data, loved ones began their own search for the young man near the intersection of Herndon and Madsen avenues in Fresno County. When officers from the California Highway Patrol arrived, they discovered “signs consistent with a possible crash.”
The Fresno County Sheriff’s Office then deployed a dive team, authorities said. The first responders found a 2012 Dodge Journey submerged in about 12 feet of water in the nearby canal.
Once the SUV was removed from the canal by a tow truck, investigators located a deceased man inside, who they believed was the missing person, according to officials.
“The driver’s seatbelt was found locked in place,” the California Highway Patrol continued, “and the vehicle’s airbags had deployed.”
A spokesperson for the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office confirmed to PEOPLE that the SUV was located on the afternoon of Friday, Dec. 26.
It is currently unknown if drugs or alcohol were factors in the fatal crash, officials said. An investigation is ongoing.
For Mendoza’s family, the discovery was earth-shattering.
“There was a lot more, you know, that he had life to offer him,” Cynthia Menoza, the man’s mother, told ABC affiliate KFSN. “It breaks me that he doesn’t get that, and I don’t get to see him do that.”
She told KSEE/KGPE that she last heard from him around 8 p.m. local time on Wednesday. He had worked that day and told his family he planned to go out with friends after his shift, but when she didn’t hear from him, her worries grew.
After Carlos became trapped in the water, she told KFSN that there were signs that he tried to extricate himself from the submerged vehicle. Following the devastating crash, Cynthia said that she and her family are taking solace in their faith.
“That’s going to be my only strength, pulling to God because He’s the only one who knows what was supposed to happen,” the grieving mom told the outlet.
Cynthia has also launched a GoFundMe to help cover funeral expenses.
“Christmas, which should have been a time of joy and togetherness, has turned into a moment of unbearable sorrow,” Cynthia, who did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment, wrote on the donation page. “His absence leaves a void that can never be filled.”