A 14-year-old girl and her father are wanted in connection with the death of a newborn whose body was discovered along a California road last month, according to authorities.
An investigation revealed the teen gave birth to the baby girl on the side of a roadway, put her on the ground and left the area in Monterey County, the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office said in a Monday, August 31 news release.
The girl’s father, Sergio Galvez Perez, 38, is allegedly the father of the newborn, the sheriff’s office said.
Deputies and first responders called to a report of the baby on August 1 discovered the newborn dead upon arriving at the scene around 8:30 a.m. that morning, according to the sheriff’s office. Investigators are calling the infant “Baby Angelita.”
Now authorities are actively searching for Perez, of Castroville/Salinas, and his daughter.
Arrest warrants charging the 14-year-old with murder and Perez with multiple felonies in relation to the baby’s death have been issued, according to the sheriff’s office.
“Detectives have determined that Sergio Galvez Perez is currently concealing the 14-year-old juvenile and preventing law enforcement from locating her,” the sheriff’s office said.
Following the discovery of Baby Angelita, a postmortem forensic examination showed the baby had “signs of traumatic injury,” according to authorities.
“She was a newborn child whose life was tragically taken,” Monterey County Sheriff Tina Nieto said during an August 31 news conference.
Nieto also said the 14-year-old is “a victim because of the sexual abuse by her own father.”
The girl’s mother, Ofelia Garcia Ortega, 36, of Castroville/Salinas, has been arrested on a child endangerment charge as part of the investigation into the newborn’s death, according to authorities.
She has since posted bail and was released from the Monterey County Jail, authorities said.
At the news conference, in a message directed toward Perez, Nieto said: “You need to turn yourself in.”
“This remains an active murder investigation,” the sheriff also said.
According to the sheriff’s office, investigators used Flock cameras and other techniques to develop leads that led them to a “vehicle of interest” and potential individuals associated with Baby Angelita’s death.
The agency is encouraging anyone who sees Perez to call 911 and warns to not approach or confront him.
“Anyone with information that may assist investigators, including information regarding the whereabouts of Sergio Galvez Perez or the 14-year-old juvenile, is asked to contact Monterey County Sheriff’s Office Detective Sergeant Nicholas Kennedy at (831) 755-3773 or Detective Richard Geng at (831) 759-7279,” the sheriff’s office said.
Monterey County is about a 115-mile drive south from San Francisco.
If you or someone you know is experiencing child abuse, call or text Child Help Hotline at 1-800-422-4453.
