14-Year-Old Girl Found Safe in Mexico as Father Is Arrested Months After Newborn’s Death
14-Year-Old Girl Found Safe in Mexico as Father Is Arrested Months After Newborn’s Death
A 14-year-old girl at the center of a deeply disturbing California investigation has been found safe in Mexico, while her father has been arrested months after a newborn believed to be her baby was discovered dead.
Diana Galvez Ortega was rescued by Mexican authorities earlier this month, according to the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office. Her 38-year-old father, Sergio Galvez Perez, was arrested during the same operation and was reportedly found in possession of narcotics.
The investigation began after the remains of a newborn were discovered on Aug. 1 along a rural road near Moss Landing, California. Authorities later said investigators believed the baby was connected to Diana, who was allegedly impregnated by her father.
As investigators worked to locate the teenager, an Amber Alert was issued. Authorities had previously said Perez was believed to be concealing his daughter and preventing law enforcement from finding her.
Perez is now wanted on multiple charges, including incest, lewd or lascivious acts involving a child under 14, lewd acts with a minor, unlawful sexual intercourse, child concealment and child endangerment. The allegations remain criminal accusations and have not been proven in court.
The case took another complicated turn when investigators initially indicated that Diana could face scrutiny in connection with the newborn’s death. However, Monterey County prosecutors later emphasized that the teenager is believed to be a victim of her father’s alleged abuse and said no charging decision had been made against her at that time.
“We recognize that the 14-year-old is a victim of her father’s abuse,” the District Attorney’s Office said previously, stressing that no child should have to endure such circumstances.
Now, after weeks of uncertainty, Diana is safe and remains in the care of local authorities in Mexico. Sheriff Tina Nieto said Mexican authorities are aware of the pending charges against Perez in Monterey County.
The investigation is still unfolding, and authorities have not yet released all the details surrounding the newborn’s death or explained what will happen next in the international case.
For a teenager caught in the middle of an investigation involving her own family, the latest development brings one crucial piece of news: after months of searching, she has finally been found safe.
Source: PEOPLE, Monterey County Sheriff’s Office, CBS News, Los Angeles Times
