The family of a Southern California woman who went missing during a yoga retreat in Guatemala claims key witnesses may have been bribed by local police.
Nancy Ng, 29, disappeared on October 19 during a trip to Lake Atitlán in Guatemala, where she had traveled alone for an organized yoga retreat.
Ng, a teacher from Monterey Park, had been on the same yoga retreat in Central America last year, but she did not return this year after mysteriously disappearing.
After receiving a call from the retreat organizer informing them of the disappearance, Ng’s family flew to Guatemala to speak personally with prosecutors and police — and even hired a private search and rescue team to to assist in the search.
Devastated relatives of the 29-year-old now claim one of the key witnesses may have been compromised.
Nancy Ng, 29, disappeared on October 19 during a trip to Lake Atitlán in Guatemala, where she had traveled alone for an organized group yoga retreat
Ng, a special education teacher from Monterey Park, had been on the same yoga retreat in Central America last year – but she did not return this year after mysteriously disappearing
Christina Blazek was one of the key witnesses involved. She was the last known person to see Ng alive during a kayaking expedition
An investigation revealed that the statement of one witness could be redacted and that she could not be detained after the alleged bribery, the family claimed.
Ng’s family was not even allowed to speak to any of the key witnesses in the case.
“This is a very serious allegation that the prosecutor was made aware of about a week after Nancy’s disappearance,” Ng’s sister Nicky Ng said. “Not much has been done to investigate it.”
Christina Blazek, the key witness, was the last people to see Ng alive during a kayaking expedition.
Blazek’s attorney Chris Gardner denounced claims of bribery and called the family’s claims nonsense.
“From the very beginning, my client has done everything she could do to shed light on what happened and cooperate in providing all the information she has,” he told KTLA.
“My client went looking for her and tried to paddle to the area just above where she thought she was.
“She was screaming her name trying to figure out if she could help her. When I looked at the lake, it was pitch black,” Gardener explained.
‘Apparently it’s very dark there. She saw nothing. She soon realized that Ms. Ng. is missing, is underwater.
“There was nothing my client could do but get to shore as quickly as possible and try to get help, and that’s what she did,” he said.
After receiving a call from the retreat organizer informing them of the disappearance, Ng’s family flew to Guatemala to speak personally with prosecutors and police — and even hired a private search and rescue team to to assist in the search.
Devastated relatives of the 29-year-old now claim bribery involving a key witness may have taken place
Blazek’s attorney Chris Gardner denounced claims of bribery and called the family’s claims nonsense
Despite the lawyer’s denials, Ng’s heartbroken family still wants to talk to the witnesses themselves to try to find out what happened.
“I feel like I carry the burden of finding justice for her,” Nicky Ng explained.
“What we want are answers,” Nicky Ng said.
‘We want to know what happened to Nancy that day and where we can find her. “We want that information to come from the only witness who was with Nancy at the time of her disappearance, and we want that through official channels.”
Lee and Elaine Beal, the owners of Kayak Guatemala, spoke out during the search for 29-year-old Ng, who is feared drowned during an excursion on Lake Atitlán.
The Beals said 10 people went on a trip on Oct. 19, but only eight returned with Ng and another woman paddling further into the water.
Ultimately, the woman returned to shore alone, but there was no sign of yoga enthusiast Ng, who has not been seen since.
“No one in the group was interested in talking to anyone,” Lee told Good Morning America. “It was almost like we immediately clammed up and like we weren’t going to say anything.”
The group failed to pay the owners and subsequently all left the country “within twelve hours” of the suspected accident, which Elaine Beal found strange.
The FBI joined the search, along with local fire and rescue teams and a privately hired company that has already combed 95 percent of the lake but found no trace.
Lee and Elaine Beal, the owners of Kayak Guatemala, said 10 people went on the trip on Oct. 19, but only eight returned with Ng and another woman paddling further into the water.
Despite the lawyer’s denials, Ng’s heartbroken family still wants to talk to the witnesses themselves to try to find out what happened.
‘They didn’t say a word to us. “I just don’t understand that part, I’m leaving in 12 hours,” she added.
The couple described watching the group, with Ng and the female kayaker about 100 meters away. The women continued paddling until they were out of sight.
The next thing the couple saw was a distress signal, before the woman returned alone.
“I witnessed the survivor being led up the stairs,” Elaine added. “She was clearly upset.”
The FBI joined the search, along with local fire and rescue teams and the private company, which has already combed 95 percent of the lake but found no trace.