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Teen Missing For A Week Found Dead Inside Car Pulled Out Of California Aqueduct

LITTLEROCK (CBSLA.com) — Authorities pulled a car out of the California Aqueduct Friday after a missing teen's mother alerted police that she believed she found her son's car.

The car was pulled from the water near 106th Street and Pearblossom Highway early Friday afternoon.

The teen had been missing since last week, and never made it to his job at an area McDonald's restaurant.

Late Friday, officials said the car belonged to the missing teen now identified as Gustavo Santana.

"I went over there and I knew it was part of the bumper," Ayde Santana said Friday.

The boy's mother spoke to KCAL9's Jennifer Kastner about her loss. His mother spoke exclusively to Kastner.

She told Kastner she'd been calling law enforcement 2-3 times a day for a week.

The boy's mother says they told her to remain patient.

"I knew something's wrong. I know he wouldn't just leave like that. His phone has been off, he's going to come home they told me at work he didn't show up that he called that he was a few minutes late but never showed up."

Gustavo Santana
(credit: Santana Family)

She blames law enforcement for not going enough to find him.Her intuition, she says, led her to the aqueduct, less than three miles from her home.

Hundreds gathered Friday night to say goodbye and honor Gustavo's life.

Friends and family told Kastner that Gustavo will be remembered for his enormous heart and good sense of humor. He was days away from attending college, he loved to cook, especially for his younger brother who was too upset to talk.

"He was so loving, he was always hugging me and he'd always hug me [and say[ 'I love you mom' all the time."

A GoFundMe account was set up to help the family pay funeral expenses. For more information, click here.

(©2016 CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Wire services contributed to this report.)

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