The mother of Culinary Specialist Seaman Angelina Petra Resendiz, a 21-year-old sailor found dead near her Norfolk base, says her daughter’s body was returned in horrifying condition, raising serious concerns about how the Navy handled the situation.
Resendiz, assigned to the USS James E. Williams, was reported missing on May 29 from her barracks at Naval Station Norfolk. Her remains were discovered by the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) on June 9 in nearby woods.
Speaking at a press conference hosted by the League of United Latin American Citizens, Esmerelda Castle said she was devastated by the state of her daughter’s remains when they arrived at the funeral home.
“When they opened the bag for me and I saw her body, she was infested with maggots and bugs, and decaying,” Castle said. “They didn’t preserve her body or prepare her to come home.”
Castle said she expected some deterioration since her daughter was found outdoors, but what she encountered, she believes, was a failure in duty and respect by the Navy.
Efforts to get answers have been met with deflection. The Navy Office of Information referred media inquiries to NCIS, and NCIS pointed them back to the Navy and Virginia’s Office of the Chief Medical Examiner. As of now, that office has not responded to requests for comment.
Marshall Griffin, a former Coast Guard JAG officer now representing Castle, said the Navy should have warned the family or ensured the body was properly handled before shipping. He attempted to contact the Navy’s casualty assistance calls officer (CACO) but was met with silence.
“The Navy is handling this about as badly as you can handle it,” Griffin told reporters.
Adding to Castle’s anguish is the lack of clear communication she received during the weeks her daughter was missing. After hearing from Resendiz’s friends that she hadn’t been seen, Castle reached out to the ship. An officer initially told her that her daughter was “fine” and in “another room.” When Castle asked to speak with her, the officer promised a call that never came.
Days later, when Resendiz didn’t report to work, Castle followed up again and was told her daughter might be AWOL and just “needed a break.” Once NCIS began its investigation, Castle said the Navy stopped communicating with her altogether.
NCIS has confirmed that a sailor is currently in pretrial confinement in connection with Resendiz’s death. The suspect has not been named, and charges under the Uniform Code of Military Justice are pending.
The circumstances surrounding Resendiz’s death and the handling of her remains have sparked outrage and demand for accountability, particularly from Latino civil rights advocates supporting Castle.
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