A body found in the water under an East Boston bridge on Saturday has been identified as an East Boston woman who had been missing for over a month, Suffolk District Attorney Kevin Hayden said Sunday.
“I wish the disappearance of Elba Portillo had a happier ending, and I convey my deepest sympathies to her family and friends,” Hayden said in a statement.
There was “no indication of foul play,” according to Jim Borghesani, a spokesperson for the Suffolk district attorney. He said the cause of her death is under investigation.
Portillo, 61, was last seen on Dec. 13 around 9:30 a.m. leaving for work, Boston police said in a missing person alert. She reportedly suffered from insomnia and potentially early stages of dementia, according to police.
Portillo never showed up to work on Meridian Street that Friday the 13th, police said.
“This morning, BPD detectives confirmed that the body recovered from the water under the Chelsea bridge [Andrew McArdle Bridge] is in fact my mom,” Natalie Umana, Portillo’s oldest daughter, posted on a GoFundMe site Sunday evening. “As our family grieves this immense loss, we must now begin the heartbreaking process of arranging for her wake and funeral.”
Around 7:20 a.m. Saturday morning, police and the Harbor Patrol Unit responded to a radio call about an object floating in the water under the Andrew McArdle Bridge, which connects East Boston and Chelsea.
Responders determined that the object was a body, and Portillo was pronounced dead, police said. Portillo had gone missing before and enjoyed sitting along the waterfront in East Boston, according to police.
Umana created a Facebook group in December for users to share new information or sightings of her mother.
On Dec. 22, Umana posted a five-minute video tearfully begging for help to find her mother, who had previously been displaying signs of severe insomnia, lack of appetite, disorientation, and she’d had trouble maintaining conversations, Umana said.
“I could see that something was deeply wrong with her,” she said through tears in the video. “I’m making this video to plead with the people of Boston to please help my family find my mom.”
Umana said her mother did not have her ID, passport, debit or credit cards. She had an old Android cellphone that had been turned off since her disappearance, Umana said.
“I miss my mom terribly,” Umana said with tears streaming down her face at the conclusion of the video. “I just want to hug her, hold her in my arms, and tell her how much I love her. Please help me make that happen. ... Please.”
In Sunday’s GoFundMe appeal for help, Umana thanked those who reshared her posts, volunteered time to search for her mother, and “consistently checked in on my family.”
“Your unwavering support meant the world to us, and we will forever cherish the kindness you showed during this difficult time,” Umana wrote. She asked for assistance with funeral expenses as the family was “unprepared for this devastating outcome” and is now “facing significant financial burdens.”
The GoFundMe had raised over $10,000 as of Sunday evening.
The funeral service is scheduled for Jan. 30, according to the GoFundMe.
Material from previous Globe articles was used in this report.
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Ava Berger can be reached at ava.berger@globe.com. Follow her @Ava_Berger_.