‘Baby Angelita’ Case Takes Dark Turn as California Father and 14-Year-Old Daughter Are Sought
A 14-YEAR-OLD MOTHER. A DEAD NEWBORN. AND A FATHER NOW ON THE RUN.
“Baby Angelita” was found dead beside a California road — and investigators now say her own father is the biological father of both the newborn and the 14-year-old girl who gave birth to her. But the case took an even darker turn when authorities said the father may be hiding his teenage daughter from police.
How did a newborn end up alone beside a rural road? What happened before Baby Angelita was found? And why are both the teenager and her 38-year-old father now wanted by authorities?
The disturbing details investigators have revealed so far are here. 👇
‘Baby Angelita’ Case Takes Dark Turn as California Father and 14-Year-Old Daughter Are Sought
MONTEREY COUNTY, Calif. — A newborn found dead beside a rural Monterey County road has become the center of a disturbing investigation involving a 14-year-old girl, her 38-year-old father and allegations of sexual abuse and concealment.
Authorities are searching for Sergio Galvez Perez, 38, after investigators obtained arrest warrants accusing him of multiple felony offenses, including incest, sexual offenses involving a minor, unlawful sexual intercourse and child concealment.
His 14-year-old daughter is also wanted on suspicion of murder in connection with the death of her newborn baby, whom investigators have identified as “Baby Angelita,” meaning “Baby Angel” in Spanish.
But authorities have stressed that the teenager’s situation is considerably more complicated than that of a conventional murder suspect.
Monterey County Sheriff Tina Nieto described the girl as both a suspect in the infant’s death and a victim of alleged sexual abuse by her own father.
And investigators now believe Perez is actively concealing the teenager and preventing authorities from locating her.
The result is a case with two simultaneous investigations: one focused on how Baby Angelita died and another on finding the teenage girl and determining what happened to her before, during and after the birth.
A newborn discovered beside a rural road
The investigation began on Aug. 1, when firefighters, emergency medical personnel and Monterey County sheriff’s deputies responded at approximately 8:30 a.m. to the 100 block of Struve Road in northern Monterey County.
A newborn had been reported lying alongside the roadway near a rural area and strawberry fields.
When first responders arrived, firefighters confirmed that the baby had died.
At the time, investigators had very little information about who the infant was or how she had come to be there.
According to the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office, detectives eventually developed evidence indicating that a juvenile female had given birth to Baby Angelita along the side of the road.
Investigators believe the girl then placed the newborn on the ground and left the area. A subsequent post-mortem forensic examination found signs of traumatic injury.
Authorities have not publicly released a detailed explanation of the injuries or said exactly what caused the infant’s death.
That distinction matters.
While the teenager is wanted on suspicion of murder, the publicly released evidence does not yet provide a complete account of the circumstances surrounding the baby’s death.
The identity of the baby’s father
The case became substantially more disturbing as investigators continued working backward from the roadside discovery.
Sheriff Tina Nieto said authorities can now confirm that Sergio Galvez Perez is the biological father of both the 14-year-old girl and Baby Angelita.
That means investigators allege the newborn was conceived through an incestuous relationship involving Perez and his daughter.
Perez is wanted on suspicion of several felony violations, 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 have not been proven in court.
Perez remains at large, and investigators believe he may be actively preventing authorities from locating his daughter.
The sheriff’s office has therefore urged members of the public not to approach him if they see him, but instead to immediately contact law enforcement.
Why investigators are also treating the teenager as a victim
One of the most unusual aspects of the case is the dual status of the 14-year-old girl.
Authorities are seeking her because they have obtained a murder warrant related to Baby Angelita’s death.
At the same time, investigators say she was allegedly sexually abused by her father.
Sheriff Nieto said the teenager should also be viewed as a victim because of the alleged sexual abuse.
That creates a complicated situation for investigators. They are not simply searching for a suspect. They are also trying to locate a vulnerable minor who may herself be in danger.
The Los Angeles Times reported that Nieto said authorities could provide only limited details because the case involves two children — the newborn who died and the 14-year-old girl authorities believe was sexually abused by her father.
Authorities have not publicly explained whether the teenager is voluntarily staying with Perez or whether she is being forcibly concealed.
That remains one of the major unanswered questions in the investigation.
The car that helped crack the case
One of the earliest major investigative breakthroughs came from a beige 2010 Mercury Milan.
On Aug. 6, authorities publicly released photographs of the four-door sedan, which bore California license plate 6HCR883.
Investigators said the vehicle could be connected to the infant’s death and asked the public to report anyone who had seen the car or its occupants around Struve Road, Salinas and surrounding communities on Aug. 1 or Aug. 2.
The vehicle has since been located and recovered by investigators.
The case illustrates how investigators combined conventional police work with automated technology.
According to the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office, detectives used the Flock automated license plate reader system to develop leads from the limited information initially available.
Within 53 hours, investigators said they had combined information from the camera system with traditional investigative techniques to identify people associated with the vehicle and develop additional leads in the investigation.
That technological lead appears to have been an important turning point.
The investigation then moved from an unidentified infant found beside a road to a case involving specific people, a teenage mother and an alleged family relationship at the center of the crime.
A third person has also been arrested
Perez and his daughter are not the only people connected to the investigation.
Authorities also identified a 36-year-old woman, Ofelia Garcia Ortega, who was arrested on suspicion of felony child endangerment.
She subsequently posted bail and was released, according to local reports.
Officials have not publicly provided enough information to fully explain Garcia Ortega’s alleged role in the events surrounding Baby Angelita’s death.
That part of the investigation remains active.
Community reaction
As news of the case spread across Monterey County and beyond, attention has focused heavily on the circumstances surrounding Baby Angelita and the teenage girl.
A small roadside memorial reportedly began forming near the location where the newborn was found, with flowers and children’s items placed near the scene.
The name “Baby Angelita,” chosen by investigators, has also become a central part of public discussion.
Rather than publicly identifying the newborn by a family name, authorities have used the nickname while the investigation continues.
The case has generated strong reactions online, particularly because of the girl’s age and the allegations involving her father.
But investigators and local news organizations have provided relatively few details about the teenager herself, in part because she is a minor.
That means many claims circulating online remain unverified.
The most reliable information currently comes from the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office and established local and national news organizations.
The questions investigators still need to answer
Despite the breakthrough in identifying the people connected to the case, significant questions remain.
Investigators have not publicly disclosed precisely what happened immediately before Baby Angelita was left beside Struve Road.
They have said the teenager gave birth along the roadside and that the baby showed traumatic injuries, but the publicly released information does not establish the complete sequence that resulted in the infant’s death.
Authorities also have not explained exactly where Perez and his daughter may be hiding.
And perhaps most importantly, investigators still need to determine the full circumstances surrounding the teenager’s alleged abuse and the events leading to the pregnancy.
Those answers could become critical to both the criminal investigation and the prosecution of the cases against the suspects.
The search continues
As of the latest public updates, Sergio Galvez Perez remains wanted.
His 14-year-old daughter is also being sought.
The Monterey County Sheriff’s Office has released additional photographs of Perez, including images showing him performing as a musician. Officials said he is associated with a musical group and believe members of the public may recognize him from public appearances.
Authorities have warned the public not to approach Perez.
Anyone who sees him or has information about his whereabouts is being asked to contact 911 or the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office.
The department has also asked anyone with information about the teenager’s location to come forward.
What happens next
The investigation is likely to focus on locating Perez and the teenager, interviewing additional witnesses and examining physical and digital evidence connected to the vehicle and the roadside scene.
The forensic evidence surrounding Baby Angelita’s death will also be critical in determining precisely what happened and what evidence can support the murder allegation against the teenager.
At the same time, prosecutors will have to address a uniquely complicated situation: a minor who is wanted in connection with the death of her newborn while authorities simultaneously describe her as a victim of alleged sexual abuse.
For now, the case remains unresolved.
What began with a call about a dead newborn on a rural California roadside has developed into a far broader investigation involving alleged incest, child abuse, concealment and a missing teenager.
Baby Angelita’s death remains at the center of that investigation.
And until authorities locate the 14-year-old and Perez, one of the most important parts of the story — what happened inside the family before the baby was born and what happened during those final hours — remains unanswered.
