Deceased 6 Year Old Isabel Mercedes Celis Went Missing From Her Bed In Tucson.

[CelticMyth]

http://latino.foxnews.com/latino/news/2012/04/22/police-search-tucson-for-girl-who-disappeared-from-her-bedroom/

Police, FBI agents and U.S. Marshals are searching for a six-year-old girl who disappeared from her bedroom after her parents put her to sleep.

Arizona authorities say the case may be a kidnapping.

The parents of first-grader Isabel Mercedes last saw her in bed at their Tucson home at 11 p.m. Friday and discovered her missing at about 8 a.m. Saturday, police spokeswoman Sgt. Maria Hawke said.

After a fruitless day of searching Saturday, numerous patrol and search and rescue personnel continued the hunt Sunday morning, Hawke said. She said that at any given time, 75 to 100 officers were taking part, including police, FBI agents and deputy U.S. marshals.

Teams combed an area of Tucson on Saturday around East Broadway Boulevard and Craycroft Road into the evening using street patrols, canines and a helicopter. At one point late Saturday, communications operator Patrick Olea said the area encompassed "pretty much the entire east side."
Also involved are Department of Corrections bloodhounds, search and rescue experts and a Pima County rapid response team.

...

Friends of the family fanned out to distribute fliers with a photo of Isabel, KVOA-TV in Tucson reported. The girl is described as just under 4-feet-tall and weighing 44 pounds, with brown hair and hazel eyes.

 

[cubby]

And adorable *sigh*

as trite as it sounds I hope she is found safe, cause I really do care.

 

[Dakota]

Isabel Mercedes Celis’ window had been pushed open and the blind was pushed to the side when the 6-year-old disappeared from her Tucson, Ariz., home this weekend, her parents said, but police say it still not clear that anyone broke into the house.

Celis’ parents said they last saw the little Friday night around 11 p.m. in her bedroom. When Celis’ father went to wake her up on Saturday morning, she was gone, but the window was open, police said. There was no broken glass.
[...]

Initially police treated the disappearance as a missing persons case, but they have reclassified the case as a suspicious lost child or possible abduction and are exploring all possibilities.

“I don’t think that there’s sign of forced entry,â€￾ said Police Chief Roberto Villasenor said in a press conference today. “We have a location where we think that could be a possible location of entry, but there’s also questions that we’re looking into on that.

“The family has been cooperating with us…but we’re not ruling out anything of this investigation,â€￾ said Villasenor.

Police have served some search warrants in the case, the police chief said, but he would not go into details.

Scores of police, FBI agents and federal marshals are engaged in a massive manhunt, which includes aerial grid searches and checkpoints on the ground. FBI dogs are being flown out from Virginia to help with the search.

Villasenor said anywhere from 150 to 250 people are working on the case.

“We don’t have an actual piece of evidence that points us in one direction or another, so, for example we don’t have a piece of evidence that says she was definitively taken from the residence,â€￾ Hawke said. “We don’t have any specific piece of evidence that tells us she left the residence on her own.â€￾

They have virtually locked down the neighborhood, asking anyone if they’ve seen Celis. Police have served several search warrants since Celis’ disappearance in and around the neighborhood. Police have kept everyone away from the home as they look for any signs of damage or forced entry.

Celis’ family has no doubt she was kidnapped by a stranger.

“You don’t think anything like that would actually really happen to you. And all of sudden, you wake up one morning and you’re in that scenario. Everything goes through your mind, you’re angry, you’re upset, you’re frustrated, you’re confused,â€￾ said Isabel’s uncle and family spokesperson Justin Mastromarino.
[...]

Villasenor said the neighborhood is mostly middle class and residential.

“I wouldn’t call this a high-crime area at all,â€￾ he said.

http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/headlin...r-old-girl-vanishes-from-tucson-arizona-home/

 

[LadyCygnet]

after her parents put her to sleep.

Why did the writer use a phrase that is synonymous with euthanizing a pet? Does someone have subconscious suspicions about the little girl's fate?

I hope she is found alive and well, but these stories seldom end happily.

 

[CelticMyth]

http://www.chron.com/news/article/No-new-clues-in-search-for-6-year-old-Tucson-girl-3500911.php

He said the girl's parents, identified by friends as Becky and Sergio Celis, were helpful as police worked to find their youngest child. He said police still were classifying the case as a "suspicious disappearance/possible abduction."

...

Mary Littlehorn, who has worked with Becky Celis as a registered nurse at Tucson Medical Center for five years, said the couple has been together since they were teenagers and doted on their sons and daughter. She said Isabel, whose nickname is Isa, loved to play baseball and dance; the girl was supposed to play in a baseball game Saturday.

"She's just the sweetest, she is feisty, she's full of life and spirit," Littlehorn said.

Littlehorn, who gathered Sunday with other family friends at a police command post, said authorities separated the two parents for hours Saturday as they questioned them. She said it was difficult for them knowing their little girl was out there somewhere.

"She hasn't been allowed to help look for her daughter," Littlehorn said of Becky Celis.

She said she's spent a lot of time with the family, visited with them in their home and their families shared babysitting responsibilities. She said Becky Celis is a registered nurse in the pediatrics unit and Sergio Celis is a dental hygienist.

She said there's no way anyone in the family is involved in the disappearance.

"We all feel this is somebody who's been watching Isa for some amount of time to know where her bedroom is," Littlehorn said.

...

Karen Hebert, another registered nurse, said Sunday that she has worked with the girl's mother for the past six months. Hebert, with help from her dog, planned to help with the search.

"She talks very highly about her kids, how smart they are, how playful they are. She just lights up and smiles when she's talking about them," Hebert said. "With all the hurt I'm feeling, I can't imagine what they're going through."

 

[cubby]

Why did the writer use a phrase that is synonymous with euthanizing a pet? Does someone have subconscious suspicions about the little girl's fate?

I hope she is found alive and well, but these stories seldom end happily.

THANK YOU, I didn't like the way it sounded either, but different parts of the world talk in different ways, but what you said is exactly how it sounded to me, like they were punching her out then putting her to bed. You don't put a child to sleep, they go to sleep (or not) on their own, you rock them to sleep, you sing them to sleep but you don't put them to sleep. Just sloppy writing.

 

[TKaz]

...You don't put a child to sleep, they go to sleep (or not) on their own, you rock them to sleep, you sing them to sleep but you don't put them to sleep. Just sloppy writing.

Probably just a non-parent who wrote it. We parents know we put them to bed...& cross our fingers & HOPE they go to sleep.

 

[Whisper]

Police keep missing Tucson girl's family from home

TUCSON, AZ (CBS5/AP) -
Investigators are keeping the family of a 6-year-old girl who disappeared away from their home in Tucson.

Authorities said they decided to keep the family of first-grader Isabel Mercedes Celis away from the home after a search early Monday of the house by FBI dogs.

Police Chief Robert Villasenor says the information turned up by the dogs required follow-up, but he wouldn't reveal what was found.

Two days of searching by scores of police and officers from several agencies have failed to locate Isabel.

Meanwhile, a police spokeswoman said investigators found "suspicious circumstances around a possible entry point" at the home.

Police Sgt. Maria Hawke wouldn't comment Sunday on whether the entry point was a bedroom window or a door.

However, family friend Mary Littlehorn says she heard from others close to the family that a window screen in the girl's bedroom had been knocked down.
[...]

http://www.kpho.com/story/17651996/pd-nothing-ruled-out-in-tucson-girl-search

 

[AngelFire]

This doesn't sound good and I am not expecting a good outcome.

 

[VAS1326]

It doesn't sound good to me either though at this point I am reluctant to say the parents were involved. I know it makes for a juicy story but so far I have heard no evidence other than a window was pushed open. They say there was no broken glass or evidence of a break in. I guess to me it depends on what kind of window in what kind of house are we talking about. The house I grew up in did not have window locks on all the windows. You could slide the glass part open and then push the screen in to remove it. So to me that doesn't sound far fetched for a window to be opened that way. Of course the house may have crank windows with locks which would make it harder to open from the outside unless it was both unlocked and left open because in that case you would have to break a window to get in. They are not saying if the window was left open or not (I don't care how nice it is I never ever leave my kids windows open or unlocked overnight)

Also what exactly did the dog find? That would be interesting to know. Did they use actual cadaver dogs, sniffer dogs or search and rescue dogs. There is a big difference in what you find depending which type of dogs are used. The article just says FBI dogs.

 

[Silvahalo]

This is so sad, what sweet looking little girl.

I've read too many of these to not be suspicious but same time IT does happen where little girls are taken right out of their bed by a stranger. If that is the case, not good but either way it's not good.
sigh. be found alive and well Isabel Mercedes.

 

[Whisper]

Search for Isabel: Psychics offer help

TUCSON (KGUN9-TV) - Tucson investigators have received some calls from mediums, claiming to have information that may lead to Isabel.[...]
"We don't make it a practice to use mediums but any information that comes that could help us... we're not gonna totally disregard. We're going to look at it" said Lt. Fabian Pacheco.

There have been several missing person cases, nationally, where police and families sought psychic help. One of the country's most notable mediums, Allison DuBois, is in Arizona and is said to have the powers to have solved several high profile cases.


Remember Kay Read? She went missing more than four years ago. Since then, her sister acted on psychic tips. "We checked a lot of them out because we didn't know what else to do" said Mary Segal. But still, no answers as to where Read may be.

Remember Loretta Bowersock? She went missing in 2004 after her boyfriend said that he dropped her off at Park Place Mall. Her family hired a psychic. Lt. Pacheco worked that case and recalls that months later, some of those intuitions were right on.

"We were left with no idea as to where Loretta Bowersock was. Fast forward eleven months later and some hikers found her remains near the Casa Grande area. Some of the things the medium indicated, seeing a blue tarp, a desert area and broken down vehicles were in the area" said Lt. Pacheco.

http://www.kgun9.com/news/local/149164525.html?hpt=ju_bn6

 

[Whisper]

RAW: Surveillance video released in Isabel Celis case

TUCSON, Ariz. -- The Tucson Police Department is looking for five potential witnesses who may have information about the disappearance of 6-year-old Isabel Celis.

[..]
On Friday afternoon, police said they believe two males and three females were walking near Isabel's neighborhood the night she disappeared and they are asked to call 911 as soon as possible.

Police released surveillance video of those individuals taken while they were walking in a parking lot.

It is believed the group was walking eastbound along the northern side of Saint Joseph's Catholic Church, located at 215 S. Craycroft Road, at approximately 1 a.m. to 1:30 a.m. on April 21, according to Sgt. Maria Hawke. They may have been walking in the direction of or directly to East Cooper Street.

The group may have been leaving the area of the Cactus Moon Nightclub or Risky Business Restaurant and Bar located in the area of East Broadway Boulevard and South Craycroft Road.

Police are also looking for anyone who took video during a baseball game that Isabel's family attended the night before she disappeared.

Tucson police used sonar equipment to search underwater at several city parks, but they haven't found any sign of her.

A woman who lives next door to the Celis family said she heard two male voices and dogs barking outside her bedroom window during the time of Isabel's disappearance.

"I didn't really think anything of it because it was light outside and I thought maybe someone was going for a walk," Alicia Stardevant said.

There is a $30,000 reward for information that leads to Isabel.

http://www.azfamily.com/video/raw/R...-released-in-Isabel-Celis-case-149325955.html

 

[Dakota]

While there is still no sign of 6-year-old Isabel Celis, who disappeared from her Tucson home more than a week ago, police have identified one person on surveillance video released in connection with the case.

“This isn't 'CSI: Tucson,' where we are going to solve this in one hour," said Lt. Fabian Pacheco with Tucson Police Department. "This is going to take us awhile.â€￾

The first-grader's parents said their daughter disappeared from their home after they put her to bed last Friday night.

So far, one person who was seen on surveillance video with four others early Saturday morning has come forward.

“Preliminarily, we have at least one individual self-identified," Pacheco said. "We are sending out detectives to interview him and hopefully identify the other four people he was with."

The video captured the group walking in a parking lot from a night club close to Celis’ home.

Investigators are currently working 28 new leads.

“We understand that some folks might feel frustration," Pacheco said. "Eight days. Believe me we feel it, as well."

The lieutenant said their goal is to bring Isabel safely home to her family.

Mexican law-enforcement officials also are helping search for Isabel.
[...]

The Tucson Police Department is looking at the possibility that the child was taken down south because it’s close to Tucson.

http://www.azfamily.com/news/Detect...nnected-to-missing-Tucson-girl-149396425.html

 

[Whisper]

600 purple balloons for little Isa

Balloon release part of music video for Isabel Celis, missing for ten days

TUCSON (KGUN9-TV) - More than 600 signs of hope for Isabel Celis’ return dotted the Tucson sky Monday evening. Family, friends, neighbors and complete strangers gathered for the missing six year old and released hundreds of balloons. The event was part of bigger effort to tell Isa’s story and share her picture well beyond Southern Arizona and its skies.

They gathered at a parking lot on Broadway and Craycroft, once of the site of law enforcement's command post during the search for Isa. They held on tight to the hundreds of balloons while holding on to hope of finding the little girl whose favorite color was that of the balloons: purple.

“We should support her and make sure she's OK and make sure that nothing bad--make sure she returns safely home,â€￾ said ten-year-old Shayla Barringer, a supporter of Isa.

“I hope to add awareness that this could happen to anyone and just to look for Isabel, to find her,â€￾ added Jesus Leon. “We need to find her.â€￾

“I've been posting every day on my Facebook the flier that they tell us to use,â€￾ said supporter Tina Leal. “That's what I've been doing and they say that's all you really can do to help.â€￾ KGUN9 reporter Kevin Keen asked her, “Is that frustrating?â€￾ “Yes,â€￾ she replied, “it is because I would like to be out there looking.â€￾

The gathering was a new way to help--by being part of the filming of a music video for a song written by a local band specially for little Isa.

“It's an attempt to open up the eyes of everybody nationwide--really, statewide--but nationwide and to open up their heartsâ€￾ said Mic Ortiz of Flight Team. “If anyone has any information or knows where she is, bring her home safely.â€￾

Then, the finale of the filming: the releasing of more than 600 purple balloons, dotting the Old Pueblo’s sky.

“I think songs really talk to people in many different ways,â€￾ explained supporter Valerie Ballasteros. “If you think about it, when people are in love or they want to do a dedication, what's the first thing they dedicate? A song. That's the way they're stirring emotions.â€￾

In addition to posting the music video online in a few days, the group behind the song hopes radio stations across the country will play it.
[...]

http://www.kgun9.com/news/local/149602105.html?hpt=ju_bn6

 

[Silvahalo]

So wonder if any prints were found on the window/blinds, and what about the "suspicious circumstances around a possible entry point", and any thing come from the person identified on the surveillance video?

lots of questions. I don't know what to think. I hope Isabel is found but at this point well, we know what that means.

 

[cubby]

[MENTION=489]Silvahalo[/MENTION], come to find out the video that they had was mislabeled as being from the night Isabel disappeared but was actually fromthe the night after she went missing!!!?? Don't know how they made that mistake but there it is. I've been reading at another site and as far as I know they haven't really made much more progress and now they said they were taking the search over the border into Mexico, not sure how that works but I hope it helps.

 

[Crazy_n_NC]

Is it just me or does this little girl look like she could be Neveah Buchanans sister.... I am afraid her story will end the same as lil Neveah's.....

 

[Whisper]

Day 20: Police have spent $1M in the search for Isabel

TUCSON (KGUN9- TV) - One million dollars and 20 days later, Tucson police are still trying to find out how 6-year-old Isabel Celis disappeared from her East side home in late April. With 20 investigators and 30 support personnel on the case, they are still unable to release new information.

"Some of that information is still tentative and it's being confirmed," said Sgt. Maria Hawke in a Thursday afternoon briefing, "Some of that information is more confirmed information but again just because of the possibility of that information affecting this investigation negatively we have to keep that close to the cuff."

Police do confirm they are combing through more than 1,000 tips called into their Crimestoppers hotline, sending officers to search based on the tips and possible sightings. Police estimate having spent around $1,000,000 in the search for Isabel Celis. About $340,000 was spent on the first four days of the search. Around $250,000 has been spent on overtime.
[...]

http://www.kgun9.com/news/local/151047225.html?hpt=ju_bn6

 

[Whisper]

Isabel Celis: Missing Tucson Girl's Father Barred From Contact With Her Brothers

The father of missing Tucson 6-year-old Isabel Celis has been told by authorities he cannot have contact with the girl's two older brothers, who are now in the custody of their mother Rebecca, ABC News has learned.

A source close to the investigation said the development does not mean that investigators are turning their focus on Sergio Celis in the disappearance of his daughter. A police statement released Friday said it is "common practice for CPS [Child Protective Services] to become involved in investigations regarding missing children."

Calls to Sergio Celis and his wife -- who are no longer living together -- were not returned today. Other family members reached by phone refused to comment.

The police statement said new information regarding the welfare of the older Celis children led detectives to contact officials with Child Protective Services and call in Isabel's family for a meeting Friday. The statement did not specify what prompted the detectives and child welfare workers to take action.
"CPS instituted certain measures to ensure the continued welfare of the Celis children," the statement said.

A Tucson police spokesman, reached this evening, declined to provide additional details.

Isabel Celis was reported missing by her father around 8 a.m. April 21 after her mother left for work and her father went to wake her up.
[...]
Police say they haven't eliminated anyone as a suspect, including the Celis family. They also haven't eliminated the possibility that investigators will find Isabel and bring her home safely, they say.
[...]

http://abcnews.go.com/US/isabel-celis-missing-tucson-girls-brothers-removed-care/story?id=16334922

 

[Silvahalo]

I find this suspicious. Common for CPS to get involved not so much to separate one parent from the children.

The father of missing Tucson 6-year-old Isabel Celis has been told by authorities he cannot have contact with the girl's two older brothers, who are now in the custody of their mother Rebecca. . .
A source close to the investigation said the development does not mean that investigators are turning their focus on Sergio Celis in the disappearance of his daughter. A police statement released Friday said it is "common practice for CPS [Child Protective Services] to become involved in investigations regarding missing children."

 

[cubby]

Yeah that is strange. I cannot figure it out unless they suspect he had something to do with Isabelle going missing. My favorite site for checking on this case is down and I can't find out what they are talking about there. computers drive me bonkers. My computer particularly.

 

[Dakota]

CPS may have taken the kids for a variety of reasons. The cops may have dad pegged as a suspect. The dad may have gone off the deep end due to his daughter's disappearance and be abusing drugs/alcohol. He could be making threats due to the break-up of the relationship with the mom. It could be something that's been happening for years and may or may not be related to Isabel's being missing. Whatever it is, I'm sure it's not fun to be those 2 boys and I hope they are being well cared for and not being used as pawns.

 

[Silvahalo]

dupl.

 

[Whisper]

I find this suspicious. Common for CPS to get involved not so much to separate one parent from the children.

I saw the cop on the news during the night and although he CANT say what caused them to take this action
He said "CPS was given information last week that caused them to be concerned for Isabellas 2 siblings and mom and dad have now sep and the kids are in the care of mom and dads not allowed contact"

 

[Whisper]

Missing Isabel Celis' Father Has Some Serious Explaining to Do (VIDEO)
http://thestir.cafemom.com/in_the_news/137513/missing_isabel_celis_father_has

[...]
CBS affiliate KPHO reports that Sergio Celis was prohibited from contact after detectives called Child Protective Services last week with information regarding the welfare of the older Celis children.
[...]

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504083_...abel-celis-barred-from-contact-with-his-sons/

[..]
Tucson police said the information was given to CPS relating to the police investigation into the disappearance of Isabel Celis.

Tucson police said CPS "instituted certain measures to ensure the continued welfare of the Celis children." Hawke did not elaborate.

There was no word on exactly where the two boys were, but Tucson police said they had not been turned over to CPS.
[...]

http://www.kpho.com/story/18328454/father-of-missing-isabel-can-have-no-contact-with-2-sons

 

[Silvahalo]

I saw the parents speak on Good Morning America a week or so ago. Have to say they are probably the most sincere parents I've seen speaking on their missing child. The emotions were raw and the desperation clung heavy on their words.

My heart wants to believe they had nothing to do with the disappearance of their girl Isabel.
My mind is holding out.

 

[sgr1966]

I wonder if they seperated just so she could keep the kids or if they are actually breaking up.

 

[sintax]

I heard on Jane Velez-Mitchell tonight that they split voluntarily so that the boys could stay with at least one of their parents. I have to say that I noticed some strange or suspicious speech patterns when the father talked. I thought he was possibly involved. I'm not sure about the mother, though.

 

[Whisper]

Isabel Celis 911 Calls Released: ‘My Little Girl … I Believe She Was Abducted’

The father of missing Tucson, Ariz., girl Isabel Celis sounds calm as he describes finding that the 6-year-old has disappeared from her bed and tells police he thinks she was abducted in the recordings of two 911 calls released today by police.

“I want to report a missing person,â€￾ Sergio Celis says on one of the two recordings, made the morning of April 21. “My little girl, who is 6 years old – I believe she was abducted from our house.â€￾
The second recording is of a call featuring Isabel’s 14-year-old brother, Sergio, who later gives the phone to his mother after she returns home from work. Both the boy and his mother are frantic, though the woman seems to control herself when she is asked for specific information about the girl’s height and weight, what she was wearing, and her hair and eyes.
Police today also discussed the decision to bar Sergio Celis from contact with his two sons, though they declined to provide any specifics about the reason for the decision. They said the move should not be interpreted as an indication that Sergio Celis is a suspect in his daughter’s disappearance.

“A voluntary agreement was reached between Child Protective Services and the parents to restrict access or, voluntarily, for Sergio to give some space and distance away from the two older children,â€￾ Tucson Police Chief Roberto Villasenor said.

“This doesn’t mean that we have settled on a path with this investigation,â€￾ he said.

He added that investigators are looking at all possibilities.

“Probably, [there are] about 12 to 15 detectives that are assigned to follow external viewpoints on this investigation, the possibility of a stranger abduction or something of that like,â€￾ he said. “And then, we have probably four detectives or so that are following the possibility of inside-the-family involvement.â€￾
[...]

http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/headlin...ed-my-little-girl-i-believe-she-was-abducted/


both videos are at link