SAN DIEGO (KGTV) - A Carmel Valley woman learned Sunday that the body of her 14-year-old niece, Sofia, had been recovered from the rubble of a collapsed condo building in Venezuela — found holding her godmother.
Adriana Prag believes Sofia was studying with her godmother when the devastating earthquakes struck on Wednesday evening. Sofia's godmother, Claret, was also found dead.
"They were found, godmother was hugging her … that gives me comfort, because I know she wasn't alone," Prag said.
It’s believed Sofia had been doing homework in her godmother's 7th floor condo in a 9-story beachfront complex north of Caracas. Sofia lived in the same complex, 5 floors down, where her 18-year-old brother, Diego, was inside when the quake hit.
"Diego didn't feel the shake. He opened the refrigerator door, and all he felt was the building collapse," Prag said.
Family members raced back to the building after the quake.
"When they approached the corner, they couldn't see the building because everything was gone," Prag said.
After reaching the rubble, they heard Diego's voice.
"Diego kept saying, ’I’m alive! I'm alive! I'm alive!’" Prag said.
For 8 hours, family members and neighbors dug with their hands and hand tools before Diego was rescued. He suffered severe leg and back injuries but survived. Diego was one of a handful of survivors rescued from the building.
Meanwhile, the search for Sofia pressed on. Sofia's father hired a bulldozer crew to move the rubble. Volunteers, including 100 mineral miners, joined the search, along with a rescue unit from Spain.
After 4 days of searching, word came Sunday that Sofia's body had been found.
"I was devastated. So bad, so terrible," a tearful Prag said.
Prag described Sofia as caring, someone who loved to dance and had taught herself English.
In all, dozens of bodies have been recovered from the building.
"We are grateful she was found. We are just one family of thousands. Some have lost their entire family," Prag said.
A GoFundMe campaign has been set up to help Prag's family with memorial and medical expenses.
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