In 2012, Clarisa and Andrés, a young couple from Valencia who had recently announced their pregnancy, decided to take a dream trip to the United States. Their final destination was Joshua Tree National Park, an iconic place of desert beauty and deep spirituality. Nature lovers, they wanted to spend a few days disconnected from the world to celebrate the new chapter in their lives: becoming parents. But what began as a love affair ended in one of the most baffling disappearances of the last decade.

The last image of them was posted on social media on April 16 of that year. In it, Clarisa, seven months pregnant, smiled in front of a yellow tent, with Andrés hugging her from behind. They were radiant, happy. “The desert embraces us,” he wrote in the caption. But the next day, communications were cut off. There were no more calls, messages, or traces. The worried family notified the authorities. A frantic search then began.

Helicopters circled over the park. Volunteers, officials, and guides traveled for miles under the blazing sun and freezing nights. Maps, routes, and unofficial park entrances were analyzed. Nothing. The tent was found intact, with food, backpacks, and water. But the couple had disappeared without a single clue. Many suspected a kidnapping, others an accident. But without bodies, there were no answers. Only silence.

Over the years, the case faded away. Social media continued to remember Clarisa on each anniversary. In Valencia, her parents kept a candle lit next to the last ultrasound she had emailed. The baby’s name would be Eva. Hope, however, was beginning to fade.

Eleven years later, in April 2023, a Nevada hiker, accustomed to exploring forgotten routes in Joshua Tree, stumbled upon what he at first thought was a strange rock. It was a backpack covered in dirt. Upon opening it, he found a cloth bracelet inscribed with the words “Clarisa and Eva.” Trembling, he continued digging. And there they were: two skeletons, half-buried, embracing. Andrés’s with his arm extended toward her, as if protecting her. Clarisa’s, her torso tilted, and inside her pelvic cavity, the impossible: a tiny fetal skeleton.

The news shook all of Spain. Images of the discovery quickly made headlines. The park was temporarily closed for a full forensic investigation. It was confirmed that the remains belonged to Clarisa and Andrés. They were still wearing some of their clothing, now worn by time. There were no signs of violence. Tests indicated that Clarisa collapsed due to an autoimmune condition. Andrés, without coverage or the energy to seek help, decided to stay with her until the end.

A notebook was also found. In it, Andrés had written fragments of thoughts, attempts to find his bearings, and pages addressed to his family. “If anyone reads this, tell our parents that we tried. That we loved each other until the last second. And that Eva is the greatest gift, even if we don’t see her grow up.”

The letters were shared with family members and not made public. But one of the forensic experts confessed: “I’d never felt such a resounding silence as that place. It was as if the entire desert had held its breath for a decade.”

Spanish society reacted with a mixture of grief, solidarity, and questions. Tributes were organized in Valencia, where a square was renamed in memory of Clarisa, Andrés, and Eva. Dozens of letters from people who had never met them arrived from all over Europe. They all spoke of courage, love, and the tragedy of losing three lives in the middle of nowhere.

To this day, mysteries continue to emerge. The hiker who found them claims to have followed a route he’d never seen marked before. A trail of strangely arranged stones led him to the exact spot. But when he tried to return weeks later with a journalist, the path had disappeared. The desert had changed. Or it had once again protected its secret.

And while science and time try to fill in the gaps in this story, one question remains floating among the cacti and shadows of Joshua Tree:

Were they found… or did someone want them to finally be found?

[Click here to see Andrés’s complete journal and the exact location of the discovery.]