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.