Crime & Safety

UPDATE: 3 Children Missing From San Pablo Found Safe; Mother Arrested

Police say the children's father was found shot to death in the backyard of his San Pablo home on Monday.


UPDATED: Tuesday, June 10, 8:35 a.m.

Three children from San Pablo who authorities said were abducted on Sunday have been found, according to the California Highway Patrol. 

Alicia Ortez and an unidentified male companion were arrested in the father's slaying, according to a news report on KRON4.

A statewide Amber Alert was issued for the three children whose father was found shot to death on Monday morning in San Pablo, CHP officials said. 

The children, 12-year-old Hugo, 6-year-old Merari and 3-year-old Jenh Carlos, and their biological mother were found safe in Richmond, according to San Pablo police. San Pablo police initially said their last names were Ortez, but the CHP has since announced in an Amber Alert that the children all have the last name of Anguiano. 

The children's mother, identified as 35-year-old Alicia Ortez, a resident of the San Pablo-Richmond area, is a suspect in the death of her children's father, according to the CHP. 

Their father, whose name has not yet been released, was found shot to death in San Pablo on Monday morning, San Pablo police said. 

Around 7:55 a.m. officers received reports of a man found dead from a gunshot wound in the backyard of a home in the 1600 block of 16th Street, according to police. Officers found the man and pronounced him dead at the scene. 

Police said investigators have not determined a motive for the killing. 

Anyone with information about the case is asked to call San Pablo police at (510) 215-3150 or the West Contra Costa Crime Stoppers Tip Line at (510) 799-8255. 

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Monday, June 9, 10:23 p.m.

Law enforcement tonight issued an Amber Alert for three San Pablo children, whose father was found shot to death this morning and whose biological mother is missing.

The California Highway Patrol's alert reported that the three children were abducted at 11:30 p.m. Sunday from San Pablo. 

The children are: Hugo Anguiano, 12, an Hispanic male; Merari Anguiano, a 6-year-old Hispanic female; and 3-year-old Jenh Carlos Anguiano, an Hispanic male.

No specific descriptions of the children or their clothing were released, however police did release photos of them, which are attached to this report.

The suspect in the case is their mother, 35-year-old Alicia Ortez, a 5-foot 5-inch Hispanic woman weighing 160 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes, according to the CHP. No clothing descriptions or vehicle model were released.

If the children are seen or located, please call 911 or the investigating agency, the San Pablo Police Department at (510) 233-1214.

The man found shot to death this morning is the children's father, police said. Officers responded around 7:55 a.m. to reports of a man found dead from a gunshot wound in the backyard of a home in the 1600 block of 16th Street, according to San Pablo police.

Officers found the man, who was pronounced dead at the scene and whose name was not released.

At the time, police said a preliminary investigation indicated that the victim's three children, who live with him, as well as their mother, who doesn't live at the home, were not located. Earlier police bulletins listed the children's last names as Ortez.

Police said Alicia Ortez, who is from the San Pablo-Richmond area, is a suspect in the man's death and said investigators have not determined a motive for the killing.
    
--Bay City News contributed to this report.


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