Missing Fort Hood Soldier Elder Fernandes' Mother Speaks Out Amid Army Base Investigation

The U.S. Army is requesting the public’s help in the search for missing Fort Hood soldier Sgt. Elder Fernandes.

On Thursday, officials issued a missing soldier alert for the 23-year-old, who was last seen Monday, Aug. 17, when his staff sergeant dropped him off at his home in Killeen, Texas.

In an effort to locate Fernandes, the 1st Cavalry Division tweeted out a photo of the soldier and asked those with information surrounding his disappearance to contact authorities.

“We are seeking your help in locating Sgt. Elder Fernandes. Please contact the Fort Hood Military Police at 254-288-1170 or US Army CID at 254-287-2722, if you have any information on his whereabouts,” the message read.

The NY Post reports that Fernandes was last seen wearing black Army shorts, and a T-shirt with red athletic shoes.

Fernades’ mother, Ailina Fernandes, told NBC 6 News that she was in frequent contact with her son before his disappearance.

“We’ve been talking since last Tuesday. He’s been in the hospital since Tuesday. We’ve been talking every day, two-three times a day, and for him to get out of the hospital and nowhere to be found. It’s so much concern, worry. It’s a nightmare right now,” Ailina said.

Fernandez isn’t the first Fort Hood soldier to be reported missing. At least five soldiers have been found dead around the base this year, which has prompted an investigation.

Earlier this month, Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy vowed to get to the bottom of the violent incidents that have occurred to inhabitants on the army base.

“We are getting an outside look to help us to get to those root causes and understanding so we can make those changes,” he said in a statement. “The point of emphasis being that we are going to put every resource and all of the energy we can in this entire institution behind fixing these problems."