Benedetta Costanza, 12, and her sister Domitilla, 8, have been missing from their home in San Cataldo, in the Sicilian province of Caltanissetta, since Friday evening. According to the Corriere della Sera, the two sisters were left alone at their residence when their father briefly stepped out, setting off an intensive local search and an ongoing investigation by the Carabinieri.
The Disappearance in San Cataldo
The alarm was raised on Saturday morning after their father, Alessandro Costanza, reported the disappearance to the Carabinieri of San Cataldo.
“I them saw for the last time yesterday evening, around 20 hours. My daughters Benedetta and Domitilla were with me. I told them that I was going to buy bread with my other son, aged ten, and that we would see each other again at the house. But, at the house, I did not see them anymore,” Alessandro Costanza explained, as reported by 20 Minutes.
Investigators note that neither child left behind signs indicating an intention to depart. Furthermore, Benedetta did not possess a working mobile phone at the time of the disappearance; her device was broken, and the family had been planning to purchase a replacement.
Ongoing Investigation and Search Operations
Following the official report filed on Saturday morning, a wide-scale search operation was deployed across the San Cataldo commune and the surrounding Caltanissetta province. Authorities have mobilized local emergency units, search teams, and law enforcement personnel.
Alessandro Costanza has been questioned for several hours by the Carabinieri. In parallel, investigators have summoned multiple witnesses—believed to be the last individuals to see the sisters—to establish a timeline of their movements. Technical assets, including local closed-circuit television and security camera footage from the surrounding neighborhood, are being analyzed to trace any potential paths taken by the children after their father left.
Family Background and Public Appeal
The parents of Benedetta and Domitilla are separated, and their mother resides in a different town. Alessandro Costanza stated that he has six children, all of whom were placed in his custody during the ongoing separation proceedings with his ex-wife.
Emphasizing his daughters’ ties to the local community, the father issued a direct public plea for information. “My daughters are known and appreciated by everyone, they go to catechism. If anyone knows something, let us know,” Alessandro Costanza urged.
As the search continues, the Carabinieri continue to collect evidence and review surveillance data across San Cataldo. Anyone with relevant information regarding the whereabouts of Benedetta and Domitilla Costanza is encouraged to contact local law enforcement authorities immediately.
