Missing and Murdered Children

Original Post: September 2, 2008Last Updated: September 2, 2008View Sources

Israel Hernandez lost custody of his three children earlier this year years ago because of accusations of physical abuse. His sister was granted custody through the courts. Israel was supposed to only have supervised visits. However, the caretaker aunt had been allowing unsupervised visits with the children over the past few months. This time Israel picked the children up on Sunday at 10 a.m. for a visit. When he failed to return Pablo, Xiomara, and Alicia later that day his sister called police.¹

At first the police treated the call as a custodial interference dispute but after the deputies took the report they realized the children may be in danger; an Amber Alert was then activated.

Victim 1: Pablo Hernandez

Pablo is a 4-year-old Hispanic male with brown eyes and short black hair. He stands 3 feet tall and weighs 30 pounds. When last seen he was wearing a blue shirt with white stripes, blue jeans and white shoes.

Victim 2: Xiomara Hernandez-Torres

Xiomara is a 3-year-old Hispanic female with black hair and brown eyes. She is 3 feet tall. When last seen she was wearing a rose-colored shirt and black pants with white shoes.

Victim 3: Alicia Hernandez

Alicia is a 6-year-old Hispanic female with black hair and brown eyes. She stands 3 feet 6 inches tall, and weighs 40 pounds. When last seen she was wearing a red and pink shirt with white shorts and pink shoes.

Suspects Israel Hernandez & Martha Torres

Israel is a 30-year-old Hispanic male. He has brown hair and brown eyes. He stands 5’5″ tall and weighs approximately 155 pounds. Hernandez may have a mustache and goatee. Both ears are pierced and he may be wearing glasses.

Torres is the biological mother of Xiomara Hernandez-Torres. She has lived with Israel Hernandez since Xiomara was two-weeks-old.

Suspect Vehicle

Maroon Chevy Corsica or Black Cadillac Escalade. No license numbers available.

Hernandez and Torres may be headed to California or Mexico.

If you have information about this case please call Valley Emergency Communications at 801-840-4000.

Updates 

September 2, 2008

There is still no sign of the children. Police say the reason the children were removed from the custody of Israel Hernandez is because the abuse was extreme and he has not changed his ways over the years.

Of course that statement makes me wonder why in the world the caretaker aunt would allow him to take the children on unsupervised visits when the court order was for supervised visits only.

I hope the children are found soon and found safe and unharmed. It is unlikely they will be found soon because the aunt said today that her brother would most likely not keep the children in the US; she said he will take them to Mexico.

Sources 

1. Amber Alert Issued for 3 Children, ksl.com, September 1, 2008. [↩]