It’s been one year since a missing young woman from Port Jervis was found dead following a countywide search in hopes she’d be found alive. Her devastated family is now speaking exclusively with News 12 for the somber anniversary and says they’re still looking for answers from police about what went wrong.

Crystal Hendershot is raising her daughter’s son after the 21-year-old new mom, Brittany Wendershot, went missing last June from and was found dead at a makeshift tent camp in the Town of Wallkill last August. She spoke with News 12 with the 15-month old in her arms and, at times, playing by her side. 

“It's very hard, the 15th. It’s hard because that's when they found her, but it's harder today and even harder tomorrow,” said Hendershot. 

Brittany Hendershot would have turned 23 on Saturday, but instead of a birthday celebration her family held a vigil last week and say they still aren’t sure about what went wrong. 

“We're like puzzled. Like, why? What actually happened,” said Hendershot. 

The 44-year-old says all she has is a report from the medical examiner that found Brittany Hendershot died shortly after she disappeared and was found weeks later zipped up inside a sleeping bag with a blanket over her face.  

“What did they do to her? Did they knock her out? Like, push her? Did they give her something,” said Hendershot. 

The family say she left with her baby’s father and two others. They believe she was trafficked or forced from home against her will, but police have never said that and no arrests have been made. Authorities said at the time they believed drugs were involved, but her mom says her daughter didn’t use drugs. 

“I just want answers for her,” said Hendershot. “I want the closure. I mean, it's not going to bring her back. I wish it would, because I miss her,” said Hendershot. 

Her mother says her daughter’s body was badly decomposed and that authorities had to use DNA to identify who she was.  

State police say they don’t believe foul play was involved in the case, but they aren’t sure how she died. News 12 asked why, but they had no additional comment.