FATHER AND 14-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER VANISH AFTER NEWBORN IS FOUND DEAD BESIDE CALIFORNIA ROAD

Authorities are searching for a 38-year-old California man and his teenage daughter after a newborn was found dead beside a rural Monterey County road — a case that investigators say involves allegations of incest, child abuse and a deeply disturbing family relationship.

What began as a call about a newborn found beside a quiet California road has developed into one of the most disturbing investigations now unfolding in Monterey County.

On the morning of August 1, first responders were called to the 100 block of Struve Road, north of Moss Landing, after a report of a baby beside the roadway.

There, they found a newborn girl who had already died.

Investigators later gave the infant the name “Baby Angelita.” A post-mortem examination found signs of traumatic injury, although authorities have not publicly released the specific nature of those injuries or a definitive explanation of how the infant died.

But the investigation would soon reveal a far more disturbing story.

THE IDENTITY OF THE BABY’S FATHER CHANGED EVERYTHING

As detectives worked to determine who the infant was and how she came to be on the roadside, investigators identified a 14-year-old girl as the newborn’s mother.

Authorities say the teenager had given birth beside the road before leaving the baby at the scene.

Then investigators made another shocking discovery.

The man they say fathered the newborn was also the biological father of the 14-year-old girl.

Monterey County Sheriff Tina Nieto confirmed that Sergio Galvez Perez, 38, is the biological father of both the teenager and Baby Angelita. Investigators say the girl became pregnant when she was just 13.

Perez is now the focus of a major search.

Authorities say he is wanted on multiple felony allegations, 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 sheriff’s office believes Perez may be concealing his daughter and preventing investigators from locating her.

That has created an extraordinary situation: the teenager is wanted in connection with the death of her newborn child, while authorities simultaneously describe her as a victim of serious abuse.

A 14-YEAR-OLD CAUGHT AT THE CENTER OF THE CASE

A Monterey County Superior Court judge has issued a warrant for the teenager on suspicion of murder.

However, investigators have not publicly provided a detailed explanation of the evidence behind the murder allegation or fully explained the circumstances surrounding the newborn’s death.

That distinction is important.

Authorities have confirmed that the teenager is both a suspect in the infant’s death and a suspected victim of sexual abuse involving her father.

Sheriff Nieto has repeatedly emphasized that investigators need to find the girl not only because she is wanted, but because they are concerned about her safety.

“She’s also a victim,” Nieto said, referring to the alleged sexual abuse by the girl’s father.

The sheriff has urged the public to help authorities locate the teenager so investigators can determine what happened and ensure that she is safe.

The circumstances surrounding the girl’s pregnancy, the birth and the infant’s final moments remain under investigation.

THE SEARCH FOR PEREZ

Authorities believe Perez may be traveling with or hiding his daughter.

The sheriff’s office has released additional photographs of Perez, noting that he has performed publicly as part of a musical group and could therefore be recognizable to people in the community.

Investigators are asking anyone who sees Perez or the teenager not to approach them and instead contact law enforcement immediately.

The warning is particularly serious because authorities consider the situation dangerous and say they do not know whether the teenager is with Perez voluntarily or under his control.

The sheriff’s office has also appealed directly for the teenager to turn herself in.

But officials say their immediate priority is finding her and making sure she is safe.

A LICENSE-PLATE CAMERA PROVIDED A MAJOR BREAK

One of the biggest breakthroughs came through automated license-plate reader technology.

Investigators identified a vehicle connected to the case and used license-plate reader information to help trace it.

The vehicle was associated with Perez and his family, giving detectives an important lead in a case that initially began with very few answers.

Authorities have credited the technology with helping investigators identify people and vehicles connected to the investigation.

The development demonstrated how quickly a seemingly isolated roadside discovery could turn into a much larger investigation involving multiple members of the same family.

ANOTHER FAMILY MEMBER ARRESTED

The investigation also led to the arrest of Ofelia Garcia Ortega, 36, who authorities identified as the biological mother of the teenage girl.

Ortega was arrested on suspicion of child endangerment and later released after posting bail.

Authorities have not publicly established that Ortega was involved in the newborn’s death.

Her arrest is instead connected to the child-endangerment investigation.

That leaves investigators examining the circumstances surrounding the entire household — and trying to determine who knew what, when they knew it and what happened to the teenager before and after the baby’s birth.

QUESTIONS THAT REMAIN UNANSWERED

Despite the developments, major questions remain.

What exactly happened during the birth?

What caused the newborn’s injuries?

What role, if any, did the teenager play in the baby’s death?

And perhaps most importantly, what happened to the girl after the newborn was found?

Authorities have not publicly released enough information to answer those questions.

Investigators have also not disclosed whether Perez was physically present when the teenager gave birth or what his exact role may have been in the circumstances surrounding the infant’s death.

What authorities have made clear is that they believe Perez’s alleged relationship with his daughter is central to the case.

The teenager was only 13 when investigators say she became pregnant.

She is now 14, facing a murder warrant while also being treated by authorities as a child who may have suffered prolonged sexual abuse.

“WE NEED TO FIND THIS 14-YEAR-OLD CHILD”

For Sheriff Nieto, the case is not simply about locating a suspect.

It is also about locating a child.

Authorities fear the teenager may be in danger, and they want to hear her account of what happened.

That makes the search especially urgent.

At the same time, investigators continue to pursue Perez on multiple felony allegations.

The Monterey County Sheriff’s Office has urged anyone with information about either person’s whereabouts to contact detectives. Officials say anonymous tips are accepted.

The sheriff has also warned the public not to attempt to confront Perez.

Anyone who sees him or the teenager is being asked to contact 911.

THE INVESTIGATION CONTINUES

For now, Baby Angelita’s story remains filled with unanswered questions.

A newborn was discovered beside a rural Monterey County road on August 1.

Investigators traced the case to a 14-year-old mother.

They then determined, authorities say, that the baby’s biological father was also the teenager’s biological father.

Now Perez and the girl remain missing, while detectives continue working to reconstruct what happened before the newborn was left beside the road.

The case has become a painful reminder that behind every investigation are people whose stories can be far more complicated than the first police report suggests.

Authorities say their goal is to hold accountable anyone responsible for Baby Angelita’s death — while also finding the 14-year-old and ensuring that her safety is not lost amid the criminal investigation.

For now, the search continues.

And investigators are still waiting for the missing pieces of the story to come together.