Missing and Murdered Children

Original Post: July 14, 2009Click for UpdatesView Sources

An AMBER Alert was issued earlier this afternoon by the California Highway Patrol for the following counties: Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, Ventura after children were reportedly abducted from a Norwalk parking lot located on Pioneer Boulevard. The vehicle was last seen traveling east bound on Pioneer Boulevard.

The father of 2-year-old Sheryl Lynn Vasquez and 5-year-old Noel Vasquez claims he left his children inside his vehicle in the parking lot with the engine running while he ran inside the store for a few minutes. When he came back outside the vehicle and his children were gone. The father reported the stolen vehicle shortly before 3 p.m. today.

There are no pictures available of the abducted children at this time.

Anyone with information about this case is asked to call the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department at 562-863-8711 or 9-1-1.

This abduction occurred less than ten minutes from my home. If this guy jumped on the freeway the closest freeways are the 605, 5 and 91.

Local news affiliate CBS2 is reporting that there is a very heavy police presence in the area with different agencies responding to search for the children. Of concern is the suspect may have ditched the vehicle after realizing the children were inside the car. Current temperatures are hovering at 90 degrees. Authorities are searching parking lots and streets in the area. There is also surveillance video of the car theft and abduction. It shows the suspect walking around the vehicle and then climbing into the vehicle and driving off.

Victim 1: Sheryl Lynn Vasquez

Sheryl Lynn is a 2-year-Hispanic female with brown hair and unknown eye color. She is 2FT tall and weights 25LBS. When last seen Sheryl Lynn was wearing a pink shirt with flowers and white shorts.

Victim 2: Noel Vasquez

Noel is a 5-year-old Hispanic male with brown hair and unknown eye color. He is 3FT tall and weighs 45LBS. When last seen Noel was wearing a white shirt with red Spiderman shorts.

Suspect: Unknown

The suspect is described as an unknown Hispanic male last seen wearing a white shirt and dark shorts. He has a shaved head.

Suspect Vehicle

The vehicle is the one stolen from the parking lot belonging to the victims’ father. 2005 Blue Toyota Scion with California License 5HPC820

Updates

July 14, 2009: 8:30 p.m. PST

The AMBER Alert has been resolved with the children being found safe at a gas station in the city of Compton. Police believe the suspect may not have realized the children were sitting in the backseat of the vehicle, strapped into their child safety seats, because the van windows were darkly tinted. There is no word on the suspect. I am glad to see this story had a happy ending. I hope this father learned a lesson about leaving his children unattended in a vehicle, especially with the engine running.

Sources

AMBER Alert Case: Vasquez, Sheryl Lynn & Noel, National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, Last Accessed: July 14, 2009.

Amber Alert Issued for 2 Children in Car Stolen in Norwalk, CBS2.com, Last Accessed: July 14, 2009.

Children Found Safe in Compton After Car Stolen, NBC Los Angeles.com, Last Accessed: July 14, 2009.

Original Post: April 2008Last Updated: July 1, 2009View Sources

Oscar, Karla and Fernando Casanova were last seen on Friday, April 18, 2008 in the 1800 block of North Richmond Street in Chicago, Illinois. At about 2:30 that day they were abducted by a male family relative.

According to WMAQ-TV the three children were abducted from Yates Elementary School on Friday at about 2:30 p.m. They were released from school before they were abducted, police News Affairs Officer John Mirabelli said.

I am not sure why the Amber Alert was not issued on Friday or sometime over the weekend. Now there is a reason to believe the children are in danger because their mother was discovered dead in her home today.

The mother of the 3 children, Sophia Garcia, 30, was found dead at about noon with a plastic bag over her head in her home.

Police do not know if Casanova is married to Garcia or just in a dating relationship. However, he is the father of 2 of the abducted children.

Victim 1: Fernando Casanova

Fernando Casanova is an 11-year-old White/Hispanic male with brown hair and brown eyes. He stands 5′ tall and weighs approximately 130 lbs.

Victim 2: Karla Casanova

Karla Casanova is a 7-year-old White/Hispanic female with brown hair and brown eyes. She stands 4’1″ tall and weighs approximately 75 lbs.

Victim 3: Oscar Casanova

Oscar Casanova is a 6-year-old White/Hispanic male with dark brown hair and brown eyes. He stands 4′ tall and weighs approximately 60 lbs.

Suspect: Benito Casanova

Benito Casanova is a 31-year-old White/Hispanic male with brown hair and brown eyes. He is 6’1″ tall and weighs approximately 200 lbs.

Suspect Vehicle

2002 Silver/Gray Dodge Dakota with Illinois license plate 86196HB. One license plate is missing.

Anyone having information should call 911 and tell the operator you have an Amber Alert report.

Updates 

June 7, 2008

The Amber Alert for these children was canceled about a month ago. The children are still missing and there is a live link to the Illinois AMBER Alert site so I am going to consider this AMBER Alert active.

July 1, 2009

The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children issued a notificiation today through their Poster Partners Program that Fernando, Oscar and Karla Casanova have been located. There is no information regarding their alleged abductor, Benito Casanova. I will continue to look for updates in the media. This is good news.

Sources 

Developing: Amber Alert issued for 3 children; mother found dead, WMAQ TV Chicago, April 21, 2008.

Jeremy Gorner, Mother found dead; Amber Alert issued for 3 kids, Chicago Tribune.com, April 21, 2008.

Developing: Amber Alert issued for 3 children; mother found dead, WMAQ TV Chicago, April 21, 2008.

Casanova AMBER Alert, Illinois AMBER Alert.org, November 2, 2008.

Original Post: June 13, 2006Last Updated: June 22, 2009View Sources

An Amber Alert has been issued for two Indiana brothers alleged to have been abducted at knife point from their home. Read the rest of this entry »