Sandra Lemire: Woman missing for over a decade found dead in a submerged vehicle near Walt Disney World

KISSIMMEE, FLORIDA: A woman who was reported missing for more than ten years, has been discovered in a submerged vehicle near Walt Disney World. Sandra Lemire, 47, was last spotted leaving her grandmother's house in Orlando on May 8, 2012.

Lemire was on her way to Kissimmee, Florida, which is about half an hour south of Orlando, to meet a man she came across on an online dating site, authorities said. According to authorities, she called her grandmother when she arrived in Kissimmee but failed to contact her when she left. Lemire was last seen leaving a Kissimmee restaurant driving a 2004 red Ford Freestyle.

Who found Sandra Lemire's body?

Now, after 12 long years, the volunteer civilian dive group Sunshine State Sonar alerted authorities on Sunday, December 31, about a submerged 2004 Ford Freestar located in a pond along World Drive, south of Walt Disney World Resort. A dive team with the Orange County Sheriff's Office assisted with the search and found human remains inside the vehicle.

Although authorities have not identified the body, a family member confirmed to local Fox affiliate WOFL-TV that the remains were of Lemire.

A preliminary report by the Florida Highway Patrol states that the Freestar van was traveling on the State Road 417 southbound exit ramp to World Drive when the driver ran off the roadway and entered a nearby pond. The vehicle was completely submerged as a result.

Sandra Lemire's son shared a heartbreaking Facebook post

Lemire's son shared a heartbreaking Facebook post about the news of his mother and expressed gratitude to the Sunshine State Sonar team. 

"They found my mom's van yesterday after all these years of not knowing, what happened to her!" he said, adding "It looks like she took an exit ramp a little to quick and went straight into the water. What hurts the most is me thinking about if she suffered… or if she knew that she was trapped and couldn't get out!" 

"It kills me to even think that she knew she was gonna to pass. I just don't know how to take it. I just wish I could of had the chance to say goodbye to her," the victim's heartbroken son continued, adding "I love you mom and will be with you one day soon!"

Further details related to the time and the reason why the crash took place are yet to be determined.