NEWBORN FOUND ON A CALIFORNIA ROADSIDE — 14-YEAR-OLD GIRL WANTED IN BABY’S DEATH AS POLICE SEARCH FOR HER FATHER

A newborn baby was found along a rural California roadside.

What investigators uncovered afterward turned the case into something far more disturbing.

Authorities in Monterey County are searching for a 14-year-old girl wanted in connection with the death of her newborn baby, while also searching for the girl’s 38-year-old father, Sergio Galvez Perez, who is accused of sexually abusing her and fathering the infant.

The newborn, referred to by authorities as “Baby Angelita,” was discovered on Aug. 1 near Moss Landing, California.

Investigators say the teenager had given birth beside the road before the baby was left there.

A postmortem examination reportedly found signs of traumatic injury, although authorities have not publicly released the full details of what caused the infant’s injuries.

Now, weeks after the discovery, investigators are trying to locate both the teenager and her father.

And the circumstances surrounding their disappearance have raised even more questions.

A BABY LEFT BESIDE A RURAL ROAD

Emergency responders were called shortly after 8:30 a.m. on Aug. 1 after the newborn was discovered near Struve Road in Monterey County.

Firefighters and medical personnel arrived at the scene, but the infant could not be saved.

At first, investigators faced the difficult task of determining who the baby was and how she had ended up there.

The investigation eventually led authorities to a teenage girl.

According to investigators, the 14-year-old was the baby’s mother and had given birth without medical assistance.

Authorities then made another discovery that dramatically changed the case.

THE ALLEGED FATHER WAS ALSO HER FATHER

Investigators identified Sergio Galvez Perez, 38, as the biological father of the newborn.

But Perez was allegedly not simply the baby’s father.

Authorities say he is also the biological father of the 14-year-old girl.

Investigators allege that Perez impregnated his daughter when she was only 13.

He is now wanted on multiple charges, including incest, lewd acts involving a minor, unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor and child-related offenses.

The allegations have placed the teenager in an extremely complicated position.

She is wanted in connection with the death of her newborn, but authorities also say she is a victim of sexual abuse.

Monterey County Sheriff Tina Nieto has emphasized the need to locate the teenager and make sure she receives protection.

WHY POLICE ARE LOOKING FOR BOTH OF THEM

Authorities believe Perez may be concealing the teenager and could be attempting to prevent investigators from locating her.

It remains unclear whether the teenager is staying with him voluntarily.

Investigators have therefore urged members of the public not to approach either suspect if they are spotted, but instead to contact authorities.

The search has also stretched beyond the immediate area.

Investigators used license-plate-reading technology, including Flock cameras, to help identify a vehicle connected to the investigation.

That information reportedly became an important piece of the effort to identify the people connected to Baby Angelita’s case.

ANOTHER WOMAN WAS ARRESTED

The investigation also resulted in the arrest of Ofelia Garcia Ortega, 36.

Authorities accused her of felony child endangerment.

She was later released after posting bail, while investigators continued pursuing Perez and the teenager.

The exact relationships and circumstances involving every person connected to the case remain under investigation.

Authorities have not publicly established the complete sequence of events surrounding the baby’s final hours.

THE TEENAGER’S STATUS IS COMPLICATED

Perhaps the most disturbing aspect of the investigation is the position of the 14-year-old herself.

Police are seeking her in connection with a murder allegation involving her newborn.

At the same time, investigators believe she may have endured serious sexual abuse at the hands of her own father.

That distinction is important.

Being wanted or accused does not mean a person has been found guilty, and the allegations against Perez have not been proven in court.

The teenager’s age and reported circumstances have also raised questions about how investigators and the courts will handle her case.

For now, authorities are focused on finding her.

A COMMUNITY LEFT SEARCHING FOR ANSWERS

The discovery of Baby Angelita has left residents confronting a tragedy that began with a newborn found beside a quiet rural road.

A roadside memorial has reportedly appeared near the location where the infant was discovered.

Meanwhile, investigators continue working to reconstruct what happened before, during and after the birth.

Why was the baby left there?

What happened during the delivery?

What role, if any, did the teenager play in the infant’s injuries?

And where are the teenager and Perez now?

Those questions remain unanswered.

What is known is that a newborn was found on Aug. 1, a 14-year-old is now wanted in connection with the baby’s death, and the man authorities identify as the girl’s father is accused of being the biological father of the infant as well.

The investigation is ongoing.

And until the teenager is located and investigators can establish the complete timeline, some of the most important questions surrounding Baby Angelita’s story remain unanswered.