Full Breakdown
Amber Alert Issued for Missing Teen and Father in Monterey County
9/8/2026, 10:58:06 PM
Background & Context
In early August 2026, a newborn later identified as “Baby Angelita” was found dead on Struve Road near Moss Landing. DNA testing linked 38-year-old Sergio Galvez Perez as the infant’s father. Authorities allege Perez impregnated his 14-year-old daughter, Diana Galvez Ortega, who gave birth on the roadside. The Monterey County District Attorney’s Office has charged Perez with multiple felonies, including incest and child endangerment, but has not filed charges against Diana for the infant’s death.
Timeline of Key Events
- August 1, 2026: Baby Angelita’s body was discovered.
- Early August: Diana and her father were last seen in the Salinas area.
- Late August: Sheriff Tina Nieto announced arrest warrants, describing Diana as a “murder suspect.”
- Early September (Sunday): The Monterey County Sheriff’s Office, at the request of the California Highway Patrol, activated an Amber Alert for the missing teen and her father.
Official Statements & Responses
- Investigators located video showing the pair traveling together in a white Nissan Altima without license plates, prompting the alert.
- The California Highway Patrol’s alert labeled Diana a “kidnapping victim” and warned the public not to approach the suspect vehicle, urging calls to 911.
- The sheriff’s office explained the delay in issuing the alert was due to a lack of confirmed vehicle information until the surveillance video was obtained.
Data & Statistics
- Diana Galvez Ortega: 14, Hispanic, 4 ft 10 in, ~100 lb.
- Sergio Galvez Perez: 38, Hispanic, 5 ft 5 in, ~170 lb.
- Both were described as traveling in a white Nissan Altima lacking license plates.
- Perez faces three felony counts related to sexual abuse and kidnapping; no criminal filing has been received for Diana.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
- Initial statements called Diana a “murder suspect,” while the district attorney later clarified she is considered a victim and has not been charged.
- Early reports suggested investigators were seeking the teen on suspicion of murder, but later releases indicated no filing request for charges against her. The exact circumstances of the infant’s death remain unconfirmed, and authorities have withheld additional details to avoid jeopardizing the case.
Verbatim Quotes
- “No matter what, she is a victim, pure and simple - even if she harmed the baby.” — Nola Brantley, a sex-abuse survivor
- “This delay in labeling her a suspect and the public not knowing who she is could have certainly jeopardized her safety,” — Steven Clark, legal analyst
