A 14-year-old California girl is on the run after allegedly leaving her newborn to die next to a road after her own father got her pregnant, authorities said.
Sergio Galvez Perez, 38, is wanted on suspicion of incest and unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor after allegedly abusing his own 14-year-old daughter who was forced to birth their incestual child, the LA Times reported.
The 14-year-old juvenile, who police have not identified because she is a minor and sexual assault victim, is wanted on suspicion of murder after abandoning her child next to a strawberry field along a rural Monterey County road and leaving the infant to die.
The Monterey County Sheriff’s Office is calling the newborn ‘Baby Angelita.’ She was found on August 1 in the 100 block of Struve Road in north Monterey County. A post-mortem forensic examination indicated she had signs of traumatic injury.
Authorities are searching for both the teenager and her father, who is suspected of multiple felony violations including incest, unlawful sexual intercourse and child endangerment, according to a press release from the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office.
Monterey County Sheriff Tina Nieto addressed Perez directly during a news conference Monday: ‘You need to turn yourself in.’
‘We need Sergio Galvez Perez to stop hiding and face the charges against him.’
Sergio Galvez Perez, 38, is wanted on the suspicion of incest, lewd or lascivious acts with a child younger than 14, lewd acts with a minor, unlawful sexual intercourse, child concealment and child endangerment
Perez is confirmed to be the biological father of the 14-year-old girl who he allegedly got pregnant. He is also suspected of concealing the teenager to prevent authorities from finding her
Monterey County Sheriff, Tina Nieto, directly addressed Perez in a statement: ‘You need to turn yourself in’
Nieto said that she was unable to provide further details about the case because it involved two children. She also described the 14-year-old girl as ‘a victim because of the sexual abuse by her own father.’
Detectives assume that Perez is ‘concealing’ the 14-year-old girl to prevent authorities from finding her, the sheriff’s office said.
Anyone who sees Perez or the 14-year-old should call 911 but ‘not approach or attempt to confront him.’
Officials said they previously arrested the mother of the 14-year-old, Ofelia Garcia Ortega, 36, a resident of Castroville/Salinas, on suspicion of child endangerment. Ortega has been released from the Monterey County Jail on bail.
Nieto emphasized that Flock cameras were helping detectives with leads and make ‘good police work more effective.’
Within 53 hours, investigators were able to obtain information identifying the involved suspects and track a vehicle of interest.
Anyone with information on the location of Perez or the 14-year-old is encouraged to contact Monterey County Sheriff’s Detective Sergeant Nicholas Kennedy at (831) 755-3773 or Detective Richard Geng at (831) 759-7279.
