A 14-year-old Monterey County girl who had been the subject of an Amber Alert has been found safe in Mexico, while her father, Sergio Galvez Perez, was arrested during the operation, authorities said.
The Monterey County Sheriff’s Office announced the development Sunday after investigators worked with the FBI and Mexican authorities to locate the teenager. Sheriff Tina Nieto said the girl is safe and is currently in the care of Mexican authorities.
Perez, 38, was also located in Mexico and arrested after authorities allegedly found him in possession of narcotics. Mexican authorities were aware of the felony charges pending against him in Monterey County, according to the sheriff’s office.
The case has been closely connected to the investigation into the death of a newborn known to investigators as “Baby Angelita.” The infant was found dead along Struve Road in northern Monterey County on Aug. 1, prompting an investigation that later led authorities to identify Perez and search for the teenager.
The teenager, Diana Galvez Ortega, had been missing for weeks before the California Highway Patrol issued an Amber Alert on Sept. 6. Investigators said newly obtained surveillance footage showed Diana and Perez together in Salinas in a white Nissan Altima without license plates. That information helped authorities establish that the two were traveling together and led to the statewide alert.
The vehicle connected to the alert was later found in Monterey County, but authorities continued searching for Diana and Perez. At the time, investigators said they could not release additional details because doing so could interfere with efforts to locate the teenager safely.
Authorities have described Diana as a victim in the allegations against her father. Perez faces multiple felony allegations in Monterey County involving the teenager, including charges related to sexual abuse and child endangerment. The investigation into the circumstances surrounding Baby Angelita’s death remains ongoing.
Officials have not released the specific location in Mexico where the teenager and Perez were found. The sheriff’s office said additional information will be provided when it can be released without compromising the investigation.
For now, authorities say the immediate priority is the teenager’s safety and well-being as investigators continue working to determine the full circumstances surrounding the case.
