SAN ANTONIO — A San Antonio family is pleading for help finding their missing 17-year-old daughter, saying she was released from jail after a mental health episode and never made it home.
Briana Guerra was last seen Monday morning after being released from jail. Her mother said Guerra was supposed to be released directly to her, but that did not happen. The family said Guerra has a history of mental health concerns and has not had her medication for nearly three days.
“Please keep in mind that right now she is in a mental health crisis, so she may not be making sense, and can’t make the clearest of decisions at this time, but we just want her home safe,” Raquel Guerra said.
The family is also grieving the loss of Guerra’s brother, Matthew Guerra, who was shot and killed alongside his pregnant girlfriend, Savanah Soto, in 2023.
Guerra was arrested Saturday at Community Bible Church and booked for assault causing bodily injury to a family member. Police said the victim showed visible injuries to her upper body.
“We tried to explain as best we can that it’s a mental health crisis, but they said, due to her age, they had no choice but to arrest her, and that she would be fine, and they also told me then that she would only be released to us,” Raquel Guerra said.
The Bexar County Sheriff’s Office is leading the search for Guerra and said that under Texas law, 17-year-olds are considered adults and can be released without a parent present once legal requirements are met.
The family questioned why she was released without being turned over to them. “Just releasing her like that as a minor, especially in that side of town, which is pretty dangerous,” said Briana’s mother.
The family is calling for systemic changes in how mental health crises are handled, particularly for minors, and said they want protocols followed during arrests and releases. “That a mental health unit maybe be sent out. We did request that at the time of the arrest, but fortunately, we were declined that,” said Gabriel Guerra, Briana’s dad. The family said they were told the request was declined because the crime had already been committed.
“So her mental state didn’t matter,” Gabriel said.
The family said they are receiving credible leads, including a last sighting of Guerra near Pearsall and the South Side area. Anyone with information is urged to call the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office.