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Jacqueline Medina left work on Tuesday and headed to the lighted Christmas parade in Edna. Upon arriving, she expected to see her daughter, Lizbeth, 16, an Edna High School cheerleader, marching the streets of Edna alongside her fellow teammates in her cheer uniform.

But when the mother saw the cheer team coming down the street, her daughter was missing from the group.

When Medina returned to their unit in Cottonwood Apartments in Edna to see whether her daughter was home, she found something no mother should ever have to see.

Medina entered and found her 16-year-old child dead.

When authorities arrived, they found a scene that quickly led them to suspect a capital murder took place.

òòò½ÊÓƵœShe is just devastated,òòò½ÊÓƵ� said Ana Medina about her sister, Jacqueline Medina. òòò½ÊÓƵœThereòòò½ÊÓƵ™s no words for a mother that had to witness that and see her daughter that way.òòò½ÊÓƵ�

Ana Medina said her niece was found in her pajamas, leading her and the family to think she was killed Tuesday morning before school.

Jacqueline Medina and her daughter Lizbeth òòò½ÊÓƵ” who went by òòò½ÊÓƵœLizòòò½ÊÓƵ� or òòò½ÊÓƵœLizzoòòò½ÊÓƵ� òòò½ÊÓƵ” moved to Edna from Grand Island, Nebraska, more than a year ago for a better employment opportunity, her sister said. Since then, the aunt said her niece seemed to have adapted well in the town.

òòò½ÊÓƵœShe had just accomplished her goals of getting her first car to go to work and making the cheer team,òòò½ÊÓƵ� the aunt said. òòò½ÊÓƵœShe was a loving, beautiful, talented girl with many dreams.òòò½ÊÓƵ�

Police arrived at the apartment unit around 7 p.m. Tuesday, according to a Wednesday news release sent by Edna Police Chief Rick Boone. According to the release, EMS attempted to revive the teen without success. Boone said Edna police contacted the Texas Department of Public Safety Texas Ranger Division to òòò½ÊÓƵœassist in what investigators believe to be a capital murder.òòò½ÊÓƵ�

The Texas Penal Code describes a capital murder as a murder committed in the course of another serious crime.

As of Wednesday evening, authorities had not released any information about any suspects or persons of interest.

Lizbethòòò½ÊÓƵ™s aunt, who lives in Grand Island, came to Edna Wednesday morning to support her little sister as she grieves the loss of her daughter. The aunt said other members of the family are also headed to the area, too.

A single mother, Medina had her daughter at 16. The mother described her daughter on social media as her òòò½ÊÓƵœbest friend.òòò½ÊÓƵ�

òòò½ÊÓƵœJackie was only 16 when she had (Lizbeth),òòò½ÊÓƵ� Ana Medina said. òòò½ÊÓƵœMy sisteròòò½ÊÓƵ™s really having an especially tough time with this because they grew up together.òòò½ÊÓƵ�

The 16-year-old dreamed of attending the University of Texas at Arlington in 2025 after graduating high school to study nursing, her aunt said.

She said her niece was a charming young woman and òòò½ÊÓƵœeverybody would describe her as someone who was always smiling.òòò½ÊÓƵ�

Being relatively close in age, the aunt said her niece was particularly close with her mother.

òòò½ÊÓƵœShe was never really very irresponsible or disrespectful with her mother, even though they kind of grew up together,òòò½ÊÓƵ� she said.

On Wednesday, a Facebook page titled òòò½ÊÓƵœJustice for Lizbeth Medinaòòò½ÊÓƵ� was created. The group announced there will be a candlelight vigil held for Lizbeth on 6 p.m. Saturday at Cowboy Memorial Stadium in Edna.

Lizbethòòò½ÊÓƵ™s body was taken to Austin for an autopsy. The autopsy report had not been released as of Wednesday night.

Although authorities said they think a capital murder occurred, the investigation was ongoing.

The aunt said Wednesday afternoon she didnòòò½ÊÓƵ™t think her sister had eaten anything since finding her daughter, adding it had been incredibly difficult to watch her little sister go through the tragedy of losing a child for the past two days.

òòò½ÊÓƵœShe keeps saying that she wants to go with (Lizbeth) and she canòòò½ÊÓƵ™t do life without her,òòò½ÊÓƵ� she said.

On Wednesday night, Boone said investigators are continuing to run down leads to find out who killed the 16-year-old.

Lizbethòòò½ÊÓƵ™s aunt said the family remains hopeful justice will come, and they will do whatever they can to help authorities find who did this. Writing to her daughter in a Facebook post on Wednesday, Lizbethòòò½ÊÓƵ™s mother echoed the sentiment.

òòò½ÊÓƵœI swear to you, my girl, that I wonòòò½ÊÓƵ™t rest until I find who did this,òòò½ÊÓƵ� she said.