Hot, humid weather couldn’t stop worried friends and family from searching for Brandon Rios through thick brush and marshes. Rios, an 18-year-old Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi student, was last seen May 3. He was reported missing May 4. His mother, Teri Rios, and a coworker helped organize a search Wednesday at Oso Bay Wetlands Preserve. They got the word out on Facebook. More than a dozen people showed. “It’s amazing how many people are searching and are concerned,” Teri Rios said outside the trails. “It makes me feel good that hundreds of people are trying to find him, as a community. People do care. We just want him back home.” Brandon Rios’ friends from Veterans Memorial High School and the university helped in the search late in the afternoon. People canvassed areas around trails covered with rocks and dirt. Several peered over heavy brush nearby. Police also combed through the brush. Brandon Rios lives about a mile away from the preserve. “We had like every class together last semester, so naturally we became friends,” said Allison Brozusky. Brozusky’s mother and father also came in support of finding Brandon Rios. Earlier Wednesday, Corpus Christi police officers, Nueces County ESD No. 2 and the U.S. Coast guard searched the Oso Parkway neighborhood. Nueces County ESD No. 2 posted a Facebook video earlier in the day of fire crews searching the water in kayaks. A helicopter could be seen hovering over the kayaks. Police and Corpus Christi fire department crews deployed drones Wednesday afternoon to search the area from the air. Corpus Christi police Chief Mike Markle and several deputy chief also attended the search. Parks & Recreation officials searched the trails earlier in the week, and cautioned people not to veer too far off of them. “Brandon’s friends are amazing, and my coworkers,” Teri Rios said. “They have continued searching and have helped follow leads.” Brandon Rios has black curly hair and is 5 foot 7 inches tall. He was last seen wearing a dark-colored hoodie and pants and soccer slides shoes. Anyone with information should call Corpus Christi police at 361-886-2600. Alexandria Rodriguez covers breaking news and crime in South Texas. Consider supporting local journalism with a digital subscription to the Caller-Times. Related coverage More:Family, friends search for missing Texas A&M-Corpus Christi student More:Have you seen these missing children from the Corpus Christi area? More:Texas DPS offers increased reward for information on missing person case<doc-sep>According to the Corpus Christi Police Department, the body was discovered around 8 a.m. CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — The body that was found along Oso Parkway in Corpus Christi Thursday has been identified as a missing teen police had been searching for. Teri Rios, the mother of 18-year-old Brandon Rios, confirmed to 3News that the body that was found Thursday near Halifax Drive along Oso Parkway is her son. Brandon had been missing since last Friday when his mother said he was last seen leaving his home. The Corpus Christi Police Department began searching for the teen and on Thursday morning, they discovered the body. A cause of death has still not been determined. Brandon was a first-year college student of science and engineering at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi. The University released the following statement on Friday: "The Island University mourns Brandon's loss and our deepest sympathies are with his family, friends and loved ones."<doc-sep>
Corpus Christi police said a man's body was found Thursday morning near Oso Parkway and Halifax Drive. Lt. Michael Pena, a department spokesman, said the body was found about 8:15 a.m. while Border Patrol and police K9s were searching for missing Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi student Brandon Rios. The body was found deep in the brush away from the street, Pena said. The Nueces County medical examiner has not yet released the identity of the man, Investigator Heraldo Pena said. Police contacted Brandon Rios' mom, Teri Rios, about the discovery of the body. She went to the scene and at one point police took her inside the mobile command center. Searchers spent much of Wednesday afternoon on the trails along the Oso Bay Wetlands Preserve looking for signs of Brandon Rios. He was last seen by family on May 3 and reported missing the next day after he didn't return to the home he shares with his mother. On Thursday morning, police were huddled near an area of brush just past a barrier of wooden posts and wire along the 3000 block of Oso Parkway near Halifax and Whistler Drive. A few feet beyond the fence appears to drop off into Oso Bay. Residents gathered on sidewalks nearby to get a glimpse of what was happening. Some used their cellphones to record video and take photos. This is a developing story. Check back to Caller.com for updates. Monica Lopez covers trending and breaking news in South Texas. Help support local journalism with a digital subscription to the Corpus Christi Caller-Times.