The remains of Delfina Hecker, the girl who disappeared in Bahía Blanca, have been found.

More than two months after the storm, the Bahía Blanca courts confirmed this Monday that DNA samples from biological remains found on April 26 belonged to Delfina Hecker, the missing 1-year-old girl .

With the confirmation that it was the little girl, the death toll from the storm and flooding, which saw more than 400 millimeters of rainfall, has risen to 18 .

Prosecutor Marina Lara, who was in charge of the case, announced that "the results of the genetic analysis had already been communicated to the family, who were fully aware of everything being done."

"On April 26, Delfina Hecker was finally found in the area of ​​the Puerto Belgrano naval base, following a search," he said, noting that various forensic examinations were carried out, including anthropological examinations of the skeletal remains found.

Pilar and Delfina Hecker

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According to Noticias Argentinas, DNA tests were also carried out at a genetics laboratory in the Buenos Aires town of Junín.

Lara highlighted the "immense search effort" carried out by provincial, federal, and even volunteer forces, stating that "it was an impossible task."

In this context, he referred to kayakers, geologists who volunteered for the search, and scientists from Conicet (National Research Council of the Caribbean), the UTN (National University of the South), and the National University of the South.

"There were 2,300 square kilometers of estuary searched, which was carried out by sea, air, and land," he added, indicating that "the prospects of finding them were practically zero."

The prosecutor stated that "the family was aware of what was being done on a daily basis; we have already fulfilled our duty to the family."

Following the discovery of her 5-year-old sister, Pilar, in a section of the Argentine Navy's Baterías base near Puerto Belgrano on April 6, the prosecutor in charge of the case, Marina Lara, had ordered the search to continue in the area.

Members of the Argentine Navy carried out various searches in the Arroyo Pareja area and coastal sectors within the jurisdiction of the Puerto Belgrano Naval Base, where they found biological remains.

While patrolling the coastal area near the non-commissioned officers' pool at the aforementioned Naval Base, the sailors found evidence related to the investigation.

Delfina and Pilar, the little sisters who disappeared in Bahía Blanca.

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Pilar Hecker, the eldest of the sisters, had died from " drowning due to the flood," according to the prosecutor's statement after the required autopsy.

In the early hours of Friday, March 7 , as the storm was already hitting the city, the two minors got into a Volkswagen Gol Trend with their parents in General Cerri heading to the city of Mayor Buratovich to seek shelter with relatives, but in the middle of Route 3, the water reached them and the vehicle could not move forward.

It was at that moment that Rubén Zalazar, driver of a van belonging to the Andreani company, tried to rescue them.

In the midst of the rescue, a strong current surged and caused the family to separate. The girls then remained with Zalazar, while their parents were rescued hours after being swept away.