Advertisement Body found during search for abducted 13-year-old girl believed to be Hania Aguilar, FBI says Share Shares Copy Link Copy

A body found during a water search in North Carolina has been preliminarily identified as 13-year-old Hania Aguilar, Lumberton Police Chief Michael McNeill said.The final confirmation will be made using dental records.The FBI announced on Tuesday that they had discovered a body while following leads in Hania's disappearance.The body was found off Wire Grass Road in Robeson County, McNeill saidHania was abducted outside her home in Lumberton on the morning of Nov. 5.Investigators on Tuesday notified the missing teen's family "out of an abundance of caution" before her identity was confirmed.Police say someone drove away with Hania in a relative's SUV that was parked in the driveway before school that morning, prompting authorities to issue an Amber Alert for her.A witness saw a man dressed in black and wearing a yellow bandana force Hania into the vehicle. Authorities said they have no reason to think Hania knew her abductor and her family is cooperating with the investigation.The stolen SUV was found abandoned less than 10 miles from Hania's home at the Rosewood Mobile Home Park, authorities said.Lumberton police and the FBI asked residents with video surveillance systems to save video recordings, even if they didn't see the vehicle in the footage, and contact them. Most recently, FBI Charlotte released a photo of sneakers that belonged to Aguilar, hoping to generate more tips about the teenager's disappearance.The Lumberton Police Department and the FBI have followed more than 800 leads, interviewed more than 400 people and reviewed hours of surveillance footage since the kidnapping, according to officials with the FBI in Charlotte.“Our work is not over," McNeill said. "We will not stop, we will not stop until we find the person or persons responsible and we bring them to justice. We will not stop until we do that.”A reward for information that leads to her kidnapper has risen to $30,000. A person of interest has not been identified in connection with the case, the FBI said Wednesday.“I would remind the public to always remain vigilant no matter where they are or what they are doing. We’re continuing to follow up on all logical leads, looking at all the evidence recovered, and we continue to ask the public through the media. We are still looking for help and assistance. There is more information out there," FBI Senior Supervisor Resident Andy Delaroacha said. The FBI said the girl's family has asked for privacy and prayers.