Reunion ‘surreal,’ says mom of Boynton teen missing 100 days

Alexa Westwater was reunited with her family Wednesday after missing 100 days in a moment her mother called “surreal.”

BOYNTON BEACH — Colleen Hernandez could tell at first sight that her 15-year-old daughter, Alexa Westwater, came home thinner.

But more than anything, Hernandez said she was just happy to see that her child — who had been missing for 100 days — was safe.

Alexa was reunited with her family Wednesday night. She met her 1-month-old brother, Blake, for the first time and was reintroduced to her 1-yearold sister, Mackenzie.

“It was obviously very touching,” Hernandez said. “To have all my kids together again was really nice.”

Hernandez said she couldn’t comment on how Alexa was found because an investigation by the Palm Beach County Sheriff ’s Office remains open.

Alexa left home Feb. 26 and had been last seen Feb. 28 west of Boca Raton. Hernandez said Alexa had run away before but never for longer than a week and never without contacting someone.

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement

listed Alexa as a runaway.

Hernandez said the authorities did not investigate as thoroughly as they should have in the first few days after her daughter went missing and, as a result, critical opportunities to find the teen early on were squandered.

“She wasn’t as big a priority as others (who were missing),” Hernandez said.

As days turned into weeks, Hernandez never stopped posting about Alexa on social media. On the Facebook group “Bring Alexa Home” — now renamed “Alexa Has Been Found” — Hernandez continually asked for the public’s help in providing any information that might lead to her daughter’s whereabouts, as well as to keep those who cared about Alexa informed.

Hernandez said she’s thankful for the community that prayed for and posted about Alexa.

Thinking back on when she got the call that her daughter had been found and that same evening when the two were reunited, Hernandez said both moments felt surreal.

“I told her I loved her, and I missed her,” Hernandez said. “I was just happy she was OK.”