Missing and Murdered Children

Original Post: Tuesday July 21, 2009Last Updated: July 24, 2009View Sources

This AMBER Alert sounds very serious. Diana, 14, was outside in her front yard Monday evening when two masked men came out from behind some trees, grabbed her and dragged her into a black car. Officers came quickly to the home off Carver in the town of Primera, Texas. It has been determined that one of the suspects is Victor Garcia, an old boyfriend of Diana’s sister. When she broke up with him he began making threats that he would ‘do something bad’ to the family. It appears he is making good on his threat.¹

Victim: Diana Izaguirre

Diana is a 14-year-old Hispanic female with black hair and brown eyes. She is 5FT tall and weighs 120LBS. When last seen Diana was wearing a white sleeveless shirt and gray shorts. She has a tattoo on her right ankle.²

Suspect 1: Victor Garcia

Victor Garcia is a 27-year-old Hispanic male with brown hair and brown eyes. He is 5′5″ tall and weighs 170LBS. At the time of the abduction Garcia was wearing a black hooded sweatshirt and black pants. He has a tattoo on his neck. Garcia is considered armed and dangerous.³

Suspect Vehicle

Black Mercury Grand Marquis. There is no information about year or license number at this time.⁴

Anyone with information about this case is asked to call the Primera Police Department at 1-956-544-0860. If you see Diana or the suspect do not approach. Call 9-1-1.

Updates

July 24, 2009: 10 p.m. PST

Now I am confused about what really happened with this case. What is confusing me is the following quote from Sgt. Jimmy Manrrique of Brownsville Police:

“It’ll be a very difficult case to defend against when you’re 27 years old and you’re having a sexual relationship with a 14-year-old.”⁵

Garcia has not only been charged with kidnapping, he is now charged with sexual assault of a child. From the comment above it sounds as if there was an ongoing relationship between the victim and the suspect. Of course that does not excuse the behavior on Garcia’s part. Diana is still under the age of consent.

Maybe that is why he was denying the kidnapping allegations when he appeared in court. Although authorities have evidence in the form of text messages allegedly sent by Garcia stating he was going to kidnap Diana. There is also evidence indicating Garcia planned to go to Mexico after the kidnapping. The article does not mention whether he planned to flee with Diana.

July 21, 2009: 4:40 p.m. PST

Diana was located safe earlier today after someone phoned in a tip to CrimeStoppers. Diana was located in a motel room at the Plaza Square Motel off Central Boulevard and Price Road in the city of Brownsville. Police say Diana appeared to be unharmed. Initially the abductor, Victor Garcia, was taken into custody by the FBI. However, later custody was transferred to Primera and Brownsville Police so Garcia can faces state kidnapping charges.⁶

Sources

1. Search Under Way for Girl, CBS11TV.com, Last Accessed: July 21, 2009. [↩]
2. AMBER Alert: Diana Izaguirre, NCMEC, Last Accessed: July 21, 2009. [↩]
3. Ibid. [↩]
4. Ibid. [↩]
5. Katie Lopez, Kidnapper Faces Another Charge, Valley Central.com, Last Accessed: July 24, 2009. [↩]
6. Kidnapped Primera Girl Found in Brownsville, ValleyCentral.com, Last Accessed: July 21, 2009. [↩]

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: March 7, 2009View UpdatesView Sources

Minnesota authorities have activated a statewide AMBER Alert for seventeen-year-old Amy Rene Henning. She was kidnapped at gunpoint from the West Ridge Mall parking lot at approximately 7p.m. this evening. The alleged abductor is her step-father, forty-six-year-old David Randy Sabby. There was a No Contact Order in place restraining David Randy Sabby from having any contact with Amy Henning.

There are currently no pictures available of the victim, suspect or the suspect vehicle.

If you know anything about this case you are asked to call 9-1-1 or the Fergus Falls Police Department at 218-998-8555.

Victim: Amy Rene Henning

Amy is a 17-year-old White female with straight brown hair worn in a ponytail, and brown eyes. She is 6′ tall and weighs 125lbs. (Most likely either the height or weight are incorrect.) When last seen Amy was wearing a “Hollister” brand green sweatshirt and blue jeans.¹

Suspect: David Randy Sabby

David Sabby is a 46-year-old White male with balding brown hair and blue eyes. He is 6′2″ tall and weighs 205lbs. When last seen Sabby was wearing a blue/black jacket, blue baseball cap with tan brim, and blue jeans.
Suspect is armed.

Suspect Vehicle

Red Chevrolet Pickup Truck with license number PZJ-677.

Updates

Update: March 8, 12:30 a.m. PST

The AMBER Alert has been canceled. There is no further information at this time.

Sources

1. NCMEC AMBER Alert: Amy Rene Henning, National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, March 8, 2009. [↩]