Woman found in Henderson fits description of missing teen: police

Posted: January 5, 2025, 06:17 pm.

Last updated: January 5, 2025, 06:17 pm.

A body found Sunday morning in Henderson, Nevada, has matching characteristics of a 17-year-old local girl who has been missing since last Monday, according to police.

Henderson police revealed in a statement that the female was found in the desert east of Desert Sunflower Circle. This location is approximately 17 miles southeast of Las Vegas.

Someone reportedly spotted the body, which alerted Henderson police and firefighters.

Police said that when officers and firefighters arrived at 10:42 a.m., they investigated the person and concluded that she matched the description of Jenelleha “Jenna” Hines.

no foul play

“Henderson detectives responded to the scene and based on the preliminary investigation, there do not appear to be any signs of foul play,” said a police statement issued at 2:32 a.m. Sunday.

The name of the deceased will be released by the Clark County Coroner's Office until next of kin have been notified. “As this is an open investigation, no further details will be released at this time,” Sunday’s statement said.

Concern about dehydration

Late last week, officials warned that the missing teen might be in the desert and searchers expressed concerns that surviving in the jungle for more than 72 hours, without food or water, was challenging.

Hin ran away from her residence after a dispute with her parents. Authorities said he took no food or water, supplies or a cell phone.

“She was distraught when she left,” Mark Spear, commander of Red Rock Search and Rescue (a regional volunteer organization), told reporters last weekend. “So, every day it becomes more important… every day is more important than the last.”

dog scent

Last week a specially trained dog picked up his scent but could not locate him. In addition to sniffer dogs, the search was aided by helicopters, drones, and searchers on horses, motorcycles and off-road vehicles.

Those involved in the search included multiple police departments, agents of the Drug Enforcement Administration, school police officers, and Red Rock Search and Rescue. Some high school classmates and area adults also volunteered.

Spear said the disagreement is a “normal family dispute … that teenagers have with their parents. Not unusual.”

He further described the missing teen as “exemplary in every way”. Never had any problems with mom and dad. He has no history of running away or having problems with law enforcement.

According to Las Vegas TV station KSNV, she is a straight-A student at Foothill High School in Henderson and had planned to enroll in nursing school.

Her parents were in shock and when they realized she was missing they immediately started searching for their daughter.