Gaitan was last seen at approximately 1:00 a.m. on July 18, 1998 in her hometown of San Antonio, Texas. She was at Las Brisas Apartments on Blanco Road and Vista View at the time. She apparently sneaked out of the house in the middle of the night to meet friends at a nearby apartment complex, but they stated she never showed up. She has never been heard from again.

Gaitan did not take her purse or other personal belongings, and she left the front door unlocked, suggesting she planned to come home within a short time. Gaitan never returned, however. She was a student at Eisenhower Middle School in 1998, and lived with her mother and older brother. Her mother stated she had never run away from home before and, at the time of her disappearance, she was excited about an upcoming family vacation.

Some agencies classify Gaitan's disappearance as that of a runaway, but the circumstances of her disappearance are unclear. Foul play is possible in her case.