Missing and Murdered Children

Original Post: May 11, 2010 | I read the story this morning about little Ethan going missing in the middle of the night from his mother’s and step-father’s home. According to his mother, Ethan had just arrived ten days ago to visit for the summer. He normally resides with his father in Virginia. His mother also told police that Ethan had a habit of “running off” and had done so at least five times in the last ten nights. She had gone after him on those prior occasions and had been able to locate her 4-year-old, but not last night.

There was just something not right about the story. I knew he was already dead. I didn’t write about Ethan’s disappearance. I checked the news this evening to see if Ethan had been located, and was met by the following headline:

4-Year-Old Layton Boy was Murdered, Police say

According to the article police believe Ethan was murdered by his new stepfather and then of course, he and Ethan’s mother tried to cover up the crime by burying Ethan’s body in a remote area thirty miles away. The happy couple just tied the knot May 1. *note sarcasm*

Nathan Sloop, 31, was arrested for investigation of aggravated murder, child abuse, obstruction of justice and desecration of a corpse. Stephanie Sloop, 27, was arrested for investigation of child abuse, obstruction of justice and desecration of a corpse.¹

Now, instead of Ethan’s father looking forward to welcoming him home at the end of the summer, he has to plan for his son’s funeral. I just wonder what Ethan could have done to deserve what he got.

Updates 

May 12, 2010

The preliminary information released today regarding what happened to Ethan Stacy at the hands of his stepfather and mother is horrifying to say the least. I will never understand the absolutely heartless and truly barbaric ways people can treat their another person’s child let alone their own child or allow someone else to harm their child.

According to the new accounts I have read, the stepfather, Nathan Sloop, began abusing Ethan almost as soon as he arrived to stay the summer in Utah. Police confiscated pictures from the cell phone of Ethan’s mother, Stephanie Sloop. Those photographs show the progression of Ethan’s injuries over a period of a week. Why she was taking pictures of her son’s injuries instead of taking him the hell out of harm’s way is something I just can’t understand. According to police reports all of this abuse was done in the name of discipline.

The injuries resulted from the stepfather, Nathanael Sloop, “engaging in a systematic and progressively more violent pattern of abuse toward Ethan,” detectives wrote in interview summaries. The documents say Sloop was angry with the child and “tried everything” to discipline him; however, they don’t say why the boy was being disciplined.²

Sloop told police that he had hit Ethan and caused his face to swell. One would think that at that point Stephanie would have done something to save Ethan. No, what she did on May 6 was to lock Ethan in a bedroom for a few hours so they could take a 10 mile trip to get married. Yep, she locked her injured little boy in a room and left him alone to go get married to the brute who was beating her son. She said she didn’t take Ethan with them to get married because she was afraid people at the courthouse might ask questions about Ethan’s injuries. Can you imagine how badly beaten he must have been to make her worry about what people would say if they saw his little face all swollen and bruised? It gets worse.

Ethan died on Saturday night, they found him dead in his bed Sunday morning. According to Stephanie Sloop, Ethan had been vomiting, laying around and refusing food three days before he died. So that would have been starting on Wednesday or Thursday. On Friday she found Ethan badly burned from his feet to his buttocks apparently from being scalded in the tub – she told police she thought Nathan was responsible. I don’t understand this part. They forced Ethan to drink two 16-ounce bottles of water, a 16-ounce bottle of Kool-Aid, and a glass of orange juice over a two hour period of time. They did try to treat his pain and swelling with Motrin and Benedryl.

It wasn’t enough for Nathan Sloop that he had killed Ethan. Of course he did not want to pay for his actions so he had to hide the body and then make up some sort of story. So this is what they did:

…used a hammer to disfigure his face and teeth before burying his body in the mountains…to delay, prevent identification…wrapped his body in plastic…
Stephanie Sloop told investigators she bought two cans of lighter fluid for Nathanael Sloop to burn the body before it was buried. The reports didn’t say whether that was actually done. ³

What a horrific ending for this little boy’s short life. The saddest thing of all is he didn’t want to go visit his mom. According to family members he never even wanted to talk to her on the phone when she called. At least Utah has the death penalty, I hope it is sought for both of these monsters. Of course there will probably be a plea arrangement where she will agree to testify against him in exchange for a punishment which will amount to a slap on the wrist.

Sources 

Pat Reavy, Layton Police Search for Missing 4-Year-Old Boy, Deseret News, Last Accessed: 05.11.10

1. Pat Reavy, 4-Year-Old Layton Boy was Murdered, Police Say, Deseret News, Last Accessed: 05.11.10 [↩]
2. Utah Man Beat Boy to Death, Disfigured Him, ABC3340.com, Last Accessed: 05.13.10. [↩]
3. Ibid. [↩]

Original Post: September 24, 2009Updated: 10.06.09View Sources

Authorities in Laredo, Texas issued an AMBER Alert yesterday for 12-year-old Karla Victoria Yrigoyen-Rivas of Laredo. According to information I have read she was last seen on Tuesday, September 22 at around 8:30 a.m. It is believed she was abducted by 29-year-old Herman Hernandez Canales. The original AMBER Alert mentioned another individual; however, the NCMEC site has changed the suspect information to Herman Hernandez Canales.

Police believe Karla to be in grave and immediate danger. I have searched the Internet news sites for information about this case and I have only been able to find short blurbs regarding the AMBER Alert. There is no background, no interviews with family members or friends. At this point there is not even a photo of the suspect.

If you have information, please contact Laredo Police Department at 956-795-2800.

Victim: Karla Victoria Yrigoyen-Rivas

Karla is a 12-year-old Hispanic female with black hair and brown eyes. She is 5′ tall and weighs approximately 100lbs. When last seen Karla was wearing a white blouse, blue jeans and black sandals. ¹

Suspect: Israel Blanquel Sotelo; AKA: Jose Martinez Santillan; Giovanni

Israel Blanquel Sotelo is a Hispanic male. He is a Mexican National. There is no other information about this suspect.

Updates 

Latest Update

September 24, 2009: 4:45 p.m. PST

According to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children the AMBER Alert issued for Karla Victoria Yrigoyen-Rivas has been canceled. There is no further information at this time. I hope she was located safe.

September 24, 2009: 11:45 p.m. PST

I am at a loss regarding why the AMBER Alert was canceled for this girl after reading the story of who this suspect is and what the mother has said about him.

Everything I have been able to find on this story this evening indicates Karla is still missing. According to her mother, Karla refused to go to school the morning of her disappearance. Later in the morning, the youngest daughter came into the mother’s room to tell her Karla was going to the local convenience store and would be home soon. She never came back home.

This mother has two men in the home and they rent rooms from her. Here is what the mother told the media about the suspect, 29-year-old Herman Hernandez Canales:

Karla’s mother had been renting a room to canales about two months. Another man also rents a room in the house.
Karla’s mother says canales visited with them often.
According to the mom, canales had already told her he loved her daughter, but she says he is a drug addict, and according to police, is an undocumented immigrant. ²

I don’t know about anybody else, but if a 29-year-old man told me he was in love with my 12-year-old daughter that would be enough for me to show the guy the door. Forget the added info that he is a drug addict and was deported from California in 2004 because he is undocumented. What could this mother be thinking. I read that quote and the hairs on the back of my head stood straight up.

Police have video from the local convenience store that was taken the morning before Karla disappeared. They are hoping the video will aid in finding the suspect and Karla. Police have stated they don’t believe Canales has crossed the border with Karla and that he is still in Laredo. They are following all leads.

What could that mother be thinking?

September 25, 2009: 10 p.m. PST

I can’t say I’m not surprised but police now say they have video showing the suspect and Karla crossing over the border into Mexico at about 1 p.m. on Tuesday. The news report states the video captured the two crossing at Bridge One. I am guessing that the FBI learned Canales was no longer in this country by following his cell phone signal. I think it was probably at that point they told Laredo police their suspect and victim had fled the country and they had better figure out what border crossing they used. Police have now contacted Mexican authorities and family members to aid in the search.

Now that we know Canales is dumb enough to carry a cell phone that can be tracked, let’s hope he is dumb enough to go back to his family is Honduras so he is easy to find.

September 27, 2009

Karla is still missing and assumed to be in Mexico with Herman Hernandez Canales. What I don’t understand is this new discussion between reporters and police of whether or not Karla went with Canales ‘willingly’:

Now questions are being raised of whether or not the girl went willingly.

Off. Albert Escobedo, Laredo Police Department
“This new information will probably confirm this information we’re still dealing with this as a missing person report and will treat it as such.”
The girl’s mother told pro 8 news earlier this week that she didn’t believe karla would willingly leave with canales.³

I just don’t understand why the above discussion even took place. She is 12. She cannot legally consent to leave the country with this adult male. She cannot even legally leave the country without parental consent.

Over the past 48 hours there has been a very similar case in the news involving 13-year-old Haley Willitt from Owensboro, Kentucky. The man in question, 43-year-old Archie Whalen, had also professed his love for Haley to her mother. Unlike Karla’s mother, Haley’s mother got her daughter the hell away from this guy and made every effort to keep him from contacting her daughter. She even took the extra step of calling law enforcement in the town where Whalen lived to alert them to his attempts in contacting her daughter. Whalen did manage to get Haley to leave her home with him. However, police called it what it was, an abduction, and treated it as such. An AMBER Alert was issued and Haley was located this morning with the suspect in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin. Whalen is in custody. Whalen’s past criminal record includes rape, assault and sexual contact with a minor. With that new bit of information I am wondering why the authorities in Maine where Whalen lived did not do more to keep Whalen from contacting Haley.⁴

The circumstances of these two cases appear almost identical except for two things: Haley is white and Karla is Hispanic and the suspect in Karla’s case is undocumented. These cases were handled differently. Both suspects have criminal backgrounds. Haley’s AMBER Alert remained active until she was found, Karla’s AMBER Alert was canceled before police even announced she had been spotted on surveillance video crossing over the border into Mexico. I just don’t understand why two cases with so many similarities were handled so differently.

September 30, 2009

There has been a couple of updates in the search for Karla. The first significant update happened yesterday when police revealed Karla’s mother misidentified the person of interest. I have changed the information above to reflect that change. The man who authorities are now looking for is a Mexican National named Israel Blanquel Sotelo. Sotelo sometimes goes by the names Giovanni or Jose Martinez Santillan. I really don’t understand this mother one bit. Also, I am sure I read in initial stories about Karla’s disappearance that Karla’s sister told her mother in the morning that Karla was going to the nearby convenience store and would be back soon. However, Karla’s mother did not report her daughter’s disappearance until 4 p.m. that day. Karla is shown on surveillance video crossing the border into Mexico with the suspect at 12:50 p.m.

Karla phoned her mother on September 29. She said she was in Mexico City. They talked until they got disconnected. I hope they just got disconnected and the man she is with did not discover her calling her mother and hung up the phone. Karla’s mother contacted police and provided them with the number from the caller id. Police are now focusing on that number and what areas it may lead.

October 6, 2009

It’s crap like this that makes the police hesitant to issue AMBER Alerts for missing kids near teen-age years. Karla finally called her mother again on Monday and told her she was ready to come home. She said she had gone willingly to Mexico City to visit family there and the adult male roommate just went with her to make sure she was safe. So investigators met Karla at the same bridge she was seen crossing into Mexico several weeks ago. She was taken to a hospital and examined, she showed no signs of abuse. I guess she had a nice time visiting family in Mexico City.

Police say at this point they are not sure if charges will be brought against the companion. He has not been charged with any crime, although the case is still under investigation. Police say Karla’s mother led them on a wild goose chase. I am glad she is home. What a waste of resources.

Sources 

Police Identify ‘Person of Interest’ in Missing Girl Case, Pro 8 News.com, Last Accessed: September 24, 2009.

Missing Girl and ‘Person of Interest’ Crossed into Mexico Days Ago, Pro 8 News.com, Last Accessed: September 25, 2009.

Mother of Missing 12-Year-Old Girl Misidentified Suspect, Pro 8 News.com, Last Accessed: September 30, 2009.

Phone Home: Missing 12-Year-Old Calls Mother, Pro 8 News.com, Last Accessed: September 39, 2009.

Pro 8 Update: Missing 12-Year-Old Girl Home in Laredo, Pro 8 News.com, Last Accessed: October 6, 2009.

1. AMBER Alert Case: Karla Victoria Yrigoyen-Rivas, NCMEC, Last Accessed: September 24, 2009. [↩]
2. Mother of Missing Girl Speaks About Her Daughter and the ‘Person of Interest’, Pro 8 News.com, Last Accessed: September 24, 2009. [↩]
3. Police Review Video Showing Missing Girl in Mexico, Pro 8 News.com, Last Accessed: 09.27.09. [↩]
4. UPDATE: Teen Found Safe in Wisconsin, WKRC, Cincinnati, Last Accessed: 09.27.09. [↩]

Original Post: April 6, 2009Last Updated: August 17, 2009View Sources

Sandra Cantu, age 8 years, disappeared from her Tracy, California home at the Orchard Mobile Home Estates where she lived with her mother, grandparents, and other siblings including an older brother. According to her mother, Sandra went outside to play at about 3p.m. on Friday March 27. A neighbor said Sarah told her daughter she had to go back home to do her homework and that was approximately 4p.m. Sandra’s mother called police to report her daughter’s disappearance at 8p.m.

Video was released this past weekend showing a skipping and seemingly carefree Sandra going by what is believed to be the home of her grandparents. Her grandfather had recently installed the surveillance equipment because two weeks before Sandra’s disappearance his truck was vandalized.

Police have been pretty diligent in their search for the eight-year-old. They have brought at least three men in for questioning who live in the mobile home park and have impounded at least four vehicles. Sandra’s father has been given a polygraph exam.

Some things do not add up. Why did it take almost four hours for Sandra to be reported missing? Certainly she must have missed dinner. Her mother has been pretty much camera-shy, and Sandra’s aunt has been the spokesperson for the family.

Today, a discovery was made in an irrigation pond approximately two miles from Sandra’s home, which prompted a call to police. Farm workers draining the pond to irrigate the fields noticed a black container floating to the surface as the water level receded. Someone pulled the container over to the embankment. According to a spokesperson for the FBI the container has not been opened; however, the county pathologist has been called to the scene. The spokesperson said Crime Scene Investigators are taking pictures of the surrounding area and making note of footprints, tire tracks and anything else that might look suspicious. The container will be taken to an undisclosed location later this afternoon and opened there. When asked by a reporter at the news conference why it is necessary to take such precautions if in fact the container does not hold human remains the response was in it important to preserve the scene in case they later discover human remains when the container is opened.

For what it’s worth I believe they know Sandra is in that container or perhaps evidence pertaining to Sandra. The reason I believe that is because of human nature. It is human nature to immediately open something up when you find it floating. I am reminded of the Baby Grace case. The fisherman who found that container floating up to shore immediately opened it up. He then called police when he realized there was a body inside.

Of course, time will tell in this case whether the remains of Sandra Cantu are inside the large black container that some news organizations have referred to as a suitcase.

On another note, just prior to discussing the discovery of the container, he read a written statement from the family. Contained in that written statement was information indicating that Sandra’s aunt is the official spokesperson for the family, that monies donated should only go to the Carole Sunde Foundation or the Crime Stoppers of the Tracy Police Department. The addresses were given for each and a mention was made to make sure to put the name Sandra Cantu in the memo section of the check. Also, cash can be dropped off at the Tracy Police Department. Sandra’s family will no longer participate in the nightly Prayer Vigils because it is just too painful for them. The FBI spokesperson made a point of stating this written statement from the family and their decisions has nothing to do with today’s discovery of the container.

Updates 

April 6, 2009: 9p.m.

During an 8:30p.m. news conference held tonight the a spokesperson for the Tracy Police Department announced the recovery of Sandra Cantu’s body. The large container located this afternoon did in fact contain the remains of Sandra Cantu. Police are now identifying the container as a suitcase.

At this point authorities are not commenting on possible suspects or ties to the suitcase with persons already questioned. An autopsy will be conducted tomorrow. Sandra’s family was notified of the find just prior to the news conference and they are in seclusion.

This case chills me to the bone. I am having the same reaction as when Christopher Barrios went missing from the mobile home park in Georgia. Three neighbors are awaiting trial for his murder. I would imagine the person or persons responsible for Sandra’s death will be someone she knew, just as her mother mentioned in one of her interviews.

April 7, 2009: 4p.m.

Police say they are close to solving the case of who murdered Sandra Cantu and are closing in on the suspect. Last night they served a search warrant on another home inside the mobile home park where Sandra lived.

Today, the Clover Road Baptist Church located a short distance from the mobile home park has been labeled a crime scene. The church has been roped off with crime scene tape and police say they are searching for evidence there connected to the home they searched last night. The pastor of the church, Lane Lawless, and his wife, Connie, have also been questioned. According to Connie Lawless:

“We are open to whatever they want to ask,” said Connie Lawless, who also said Sandra used to come by and play with their great granddaughter….Lane Lawless told a Sacramento news station, News 10, he had nothing to do with the girl’s disappearance. ¹

According to one report, Sandra’s mother, Maria Chavez, passed out when she was given the news about her daughter. She was transported by ambulance to a nearby hospital.

I can’t imagine how it would feel to have lived in that mobile home park and considered most in the park friends. Sandra was allowed to visit both children and adults inside the park. Some adults referred to Sandra as her friend or she their friend. Now, all are looking at one another knowing that at least one of the neighbors is a hardhearted child killer.

April 7, 2009: 4:30p.m.

People are gathering in front of the mobile home park and placing objects at the growing memorial for Sandra Cantu.

During this afternoon’s news conference police confirmed the autopsy was completed on Sandra’s body this morning. However, they are not releasing the cause of death until toxicology reports and tissue sample tests are completed; those results could take from 4 to 6 weeks. Also during the news conference police stated they have received many phone calls from community members wanting to send condolences to the family. The police spokesperson stated any cards or letters for the Cantu family should be sent to the Tracy Police Department and they will make sure the family receives the mail. For those wishing to donate cash the spokesperson said to contact the Sund-Carrington Foundation in Modesto, California.

April 10, 2009: 2 a.m.

The items placed at the makeshift memorial site in front of the mobile home park have been removed at the request of the family. They were concerned the items would be damaged from the expected rain. The family plans to donate the items to various childrens’ charities.

Police confiscated a letter that was left at the memorial site. It was addressed as follows:

‘From Sandra, To My Killer’, and on the inside it read, ‘You’ve taken my life away from me, but I forgive you. And God will judge you at some point.’²

Investigators do not know if the letter has any bearing on the case but they will attempt to investigate the origin.

Police continue to aggressively pursue Sandra’s killer or killers.

April 11, 2009: 5 p.m.

I am really impressed with the Tracy, California Police Department and how quickly they were able to arrest someone for the murder of Sandra Cantu. During the morning news conference Sgt. Sheneman told reporters that Melissa Huckaby, 28, came into the police station late Friday afternoon at their request. She began a discussion with detectives. At first she was cool and calm, but then became emotional. After five hours Melissa finally admitted to the kidnapping and murder. She was taken into custody and booked on kidnapping and murder charges.

Police did not elaborate on a motive and said it will be up to the district attorney and the courts to determine whether Sandra’s death was an accident or pre-meditated murder. During the news conference Shenman did say they are pretty sure they know where the murder occurred. Another investigator stated that by the time Sandra was reported missing, at 8 p.m., the murder had already occurred.

Police notified Sandra’s parents of the arrest at approximately 2:15 a.m.

Melissa Huckaby is the mother of a five-year-old girl – one of Sandra’s best friends. Huckby lives in the mobile home park with her grandfather, Pastor Lawless and she taught Sunday school at her grandfather’s church. Huckaby had told police on the day of Sandra’s disappearance that Sandra had come to her home to play with her daughter but she had told Sandra the girl could not play so she allegedly sent Sandra away. Huckaby had also mentioned in the media that the same day that Sandra disappeared someone stole a suitcase from her driveway. It was her inconsistent comments in the press that caused authorities to take another look at Huckaby. She is set to be arraigned on Tuesday. Huckaby is turning away visitors. She is housed away from the other prisoners and is said to be on suicide watch.

April 13, 2009: 3:45 p.m.

According to San Joaquin County Deputy District Attorney Robert Himmelblau during an interview with the Associated Press, he stated that murder charges filed against Melissa Huckaby could include special circumstances of rape with a foreign object, lewd and lascivious conduct with a child and murder in the course of a kidnapping. The special circumstances charges would make Huckaby death penalty eligible. If the death penalty is not sought a conviction on any of the special circumstances charges would mean a life sentence without the possibility of parole.

April 14, 2009: 4:45 p.m.

Melissa Huckaby was led into the San Joaquin County Courthouse this afternoon in shackles to face murder charges. As the charges were read in open court Melissa Huckaby silently wept. I did notice in the video that she wept considerably more when the charge of rape with a foreign object was read aloud.

The complete list of charges are as follows:

1. One count of murder

Special circumstances

1. Rape with a foreign object
2. Lewd or lascivious conduct with a child under 14
3. Murder in the course of a kidnapping

The murder charge with special circumstances makes this a Death Penalty eligible case.

Huckaby did not enter a plea today. She was assigned a public defender. Huckaby is scheduled for further arraignment on April 24.

I will be blogging about the remainder of this case on my other blog, The End of the Story

April 15, 2009: 5 p.m.

Los Angeles news station CBS reported this afternoon that Melissa Huckaby’s hospitalization the week prior to her arrest was for internal bleeding as she had previously stated to reporters. However, the reason for the internal bleeding was not as her grandmother stated – bleeding ulcers. Apparently Melissa Huckaby swallowed three X-ACTO knife blades in an attempt to commit suicide. It is not clear if she took herself to the hospital for treatment.

Police believe Huckaby could have other victims and are asking those children to come forward.

Any parent who suspects their children may have had “inappropriate contact” with Huckaby are being asked to contact authorities, Sgt. Tony Sheneman said. ³

April 15, 2009: 6:00 p.m.

Sandra Cantu’s parents laid their daughter to rest in a private ceremony at Fry Memorial Chapel. After the service her casket was loaded onto a horse-drawn carriage and taken to Tracy Mausoleum.

April 16, 2009

The public memorial service held today at Merrill F. West High School was attended by thousands of people paying respects to Sandra Cantu. Many did not personally know Sandra Cantu or her family, but they said they could relate to the little girl and her family.

I was surprised to read that Senator Barbara Boxer and State Attorney General Jerry Brown not only attended the memorial service, but also spoke during the service. Other speakers included Tracy’s police chief and Sandra’s aunt.

Donations in Sandra’s memory may be sent to:

Carole Sund/ Carrington Memorial Reward Foundation
301 Downey Ave.
Modesto, CA 95354

August 17, 2009: 3 p.m. PST

San Joaquin grand jury indicted Melissa Huckaby on all charges against her regarding the death of Sandra Cantu and the drugging of an unnamed adult male and another child earlier this year. Huckaby appeared in court today with her attorney to hear the charges against her. According to reporters Huckaby seemed relaxed and was even smiling until the judge read the charges. At that point Huckaby began to cry. It was also observed by some reporters that Huckaby appeared to have scratches on her face and arms.

Sources 

Sandra Cantu’s Body Found in Luggage, KCRA.com, April 6, 2009.

Mike Martinez and Eric Louie, Staff Writers and Aaron Swartz, Correspondent, San Joaquin Herald, Pastor of Tracy Church Being Searched Says He Lived Near Slain Girl, The Mercury News, April 7, 2009.

Search for Tracy Girl’s Killer Intensifies (12:22p.m.), The Record.net, April 7, 2009.

Sarah Netter, Sandra Cantu Found in a Suitcase; Police Closing in on Suspect, ABC News, April 7, 2009.

Sunday School Teacher Arrested in Cantu’s Death, KCRA – Sacramento, April 11, 2009.

Associated Press, Report: Prosecutors Considering Rape, Molestation Charges in Sandra Cantu Case, Mercury News.com, April 13, 2009.

Tracy Murder Suspect Weeps in Court, KRCA.com, April 14, 2009.

Public Memorial for Cantu, KCBS, April 16, 2009.

1. MercuryNews.com [↩]
2. KCRA.com [↩]
3. KCRA.com [↩]