Archive for the ‘911’ tag
CA AMBER Alert: Ruelas Siblings
The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department issued an AMBER Alert this afternoon after an apparently despondent mother left with her two children leaving a letter alluding to plans for a murder-suicide.1
Police were asked to perform a “welfare check” at the Ruelas residence earlier Friday. However, when they arrived to perform the check they found all residents and the family vehicle gone.
Detectives “have specific information that the mother has made plans to commit suicide after taking the lives of her two sons,” authorities said.
The mother, 38-year-old Lisa Ruelas, is a Hispanic Female; 5’4″, 140 lbs, with Brown Hair and Brown Eyes.
There is a discrepancy regarding the ages of the children with one media outlet reporting the children’s ages as 13 years and 11 years. However, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children are reporting the ages of the children as Evan, age 6 years and Gabriel, age 10 years. Both boys are Hispanic.
Lisa Ruelas was last seen with her children around 3p.m. on Thursday.
Anyone with information about Ruelas’ whereabouts can call the Altadena Sheriff Station at (626) 798-1131 or 911.
Lisa Ruelas and her children were located safe tonight in Mexico. The California Highway Patrol advised she was stopped in Ixtapa, Mexico at 11p.m.
Part of Ms Ruelas’ despondency comes from the recent 1 year anniversary of the suicide of her husband.
I am glad she was located safe with her children. I hope she will be able to get the help she needs to deal with her sorrow and depression.
- Amber Alert Issued for Despondent Mom, 2 Boys, KCAL9.com, February 6, 2009 [↩]
AL Amber Alert – Treshon Williams
06.28.08: AMBER Alert cancelled. Treshon located safe, abductor in custody.
Original Post: June 27, 2008Last Updated: June 28, 2008View Sources
Treshon was last seen with his babysitter, 16-year-old Antoinetta Smith when she drove away from 3009 3st Avenue North in Birmingham, Alabama. Antoinetta was babysitting Treshon when she left with the 1-year-old in the mother’s car. She did not have permission to drive the vehicle or leave with the baby. Originally this case was classified as a missing persons case. However, with the activation of the Amber Alert it has been upgraded to a child abduction case.1
Victim: Treshon Williams
Treshon Williams is a 1-year-old Black male with black hair and brown eyes. He stands 2ft tall and weighs approximately 40 lbs. He was last seen wearing gray and orange Nikes.2
Suspect: Antoinetta Smith
Antoinetta Smith is a 16-year-old Black female with black hair and brown eyes. She stands 5’7″ tall and weighs approximately 165 lbs.
Suspect Vehicle
1997 Maroon 4-door Ford Crown Victoria with Alabama license plate 14127AN.
The two were last seen at approximately 10 p.m. on June 26, 2008.
Anyone with information is urged to call the Birmingham Police Department (Alabama) at 1-205-328-9311, 911 or 1-800-thelost.
Updates
June 26, 2009: 6:30 p.m. PST
The Birmingham News is reporting the car in the Amber Alert was spotted this afternoon at a house on 48th Street in the Central Park area of the city. Police are currently conducting a foot search for the child and teen.3
June 28, 2008: 12:15 a.m. PST
The search for Treshon and Antoinetta in the Central Park area failed to find them. Shortly after 10p.m. police told reporters they were moving the search to Fairfield, but did not elaborate.4
June 28, 2008: 11:45 a.m. PST
About 7 p.m. last night police received a tip about the location of the subject vehicle of the Amber Alert. The vehicle was located in the vicinity of Tuscaloosa Avenue and then proceeded to follow it to a residence on Terrace R in Ensley.
When the vehicle was stopped neither Antoinetta Smith or Treshon Williams were inside. Instead a woman with two children were inside the vehicle. She is being questioned about her involvement in the disappearance.
It is believed Antoinetta was at the Terrace R location and fled on foot with Treshon, however, a four hour foot search of the area failed to find them.
According to Lt. Irby:
“By all indications, the 1-year-old is okay,” Irby said during an impromptu news conference Friday night on Terrace R. “At this time we hope Antoinette is looking at this story and that she calls the police department and/or the mother of Treshon. We need to get him back to his mom as quickly as possible because (Smith) is not equipped to take care of a 1-year-old at this time.”5
June 28, 2008: 8:15 p.m. PST
The two mothers of the missing children held a news conference this afternoon pleading for their safe return.
It is also Antoinetta Smith’s 17th birthday today. Her mother pleaded with her to bring the baby home:
“Is this how you want to spend your birthday?” cried Nakia Smith, Antoinetta’s mother. “We is waiting on you! You need to come home with that baby!”6
The Smith and Williams families are related; Antoinetta is Treshon’s cousin. According to Antoinetta’s family they say she may be telling people that Treshon is her son. After the press conference the family members went around passing out fliers.
June 28, 2008: 11 p.m. PST
Treshon Williams has been located and reunited with his mother in Bessemer. Antoinetta Smith is in police custody.7
June 28, 2008: 2:30 a.m. PST
ABC3340.com cameras captured an emotional reunion with Treshon and his mother a little after midnight in Bessemer.
According to the report, Antoinetta Williams showed up at what is being called a housing community in Bessemer on Saturday morning. She claimed Treshon was her child and they were supposed to go to a birthday party later that day. Another person who lived in the housing community, Erica, recognized Antoinetta as a former classmate. When she heard the Amber Alert on the radio she called police to alert them that Antoinetta was there. Before police arrived Antoinetta got into a car with an unknown male and attempted to flee the scene. However, police were able to stop the vehicle and take Antoinetta into custody.8
- “Update: Missing Persons Now Child Abduction Case, abc3340.com, Last Accessed: June 27, 2008. [↩]
- “Amber Alert Treshon Williams, National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, Last Accessed: June 27, 2008. [↩]
- Carol Robinson and Kristin Oberholzer, Updated: Police Hunt in Central Park Neighborhood for Teen and Toddler at Center of Amber Alert, The Birmingham News, June 27, 2008. [↩]
- Ibid. [↩]
- ABC.com [↩]
- ABC.com [↩]
- Treshon Williams Found, abc3340News.com, Last Accessed: June 28, 2008. [↩]
- Ibid. [↩]
The Social Worker Was on the Job
There are a large number of homeless shelters in the greater Los Angeles area. Many are funded by the United Way and other benevolent organizations. Recently I viewed a commercial on television where they discussed the ‘new’ way of helping people in need of help. Instead of offering a hot meal and a handout they offer a place to stay, counseling if needed and a way to get a job either such as assisting in creating a resume.
Social Workers are a part of that mix of people who are employed at the shelters to assist the people in need. Read the rest of this entry »
