McStay Family of Four Vanishes Near Mexican Border

By: Carlin DeGuerin Miller
Topics: Missing

(Personal Photo)

FALLBROOK, Calif. (CBS/AP) Joseph and Summer McStay, along with their two boys Gianni,4, and Joey, 3, disappeared almost two weeks ago and San Diego investigators still have no solid leads as to what happened to them.

Photo: From left, wife Summer, sons Joey and Gianni, and husband Joseph McStay.

PICTURES: McStay Family Missing

The family, who lives in Fallbrook, Calif., half way between San Diego and Los Angeles, was last seen February 4. Four days later their car was found abandoned in San Ysidro, a small California town right outside Tijuana, Mexico.

"I don't understand why it was there. I know she didn't like Mexico," Summer McStay's mother Blanche Aranda told CBS affiliate KFMB. "I can't imagine where they are... I have no ideas. Where they would go?"

Photo: McStay children, Joey, 4, and Gianni, 3.

PICTURES: McStay Family Missing

Summer McStay's family had a chance to go through the couple's home over the weekend and says there were no obvious signs of a struggle, but there were signs that Summer had no plans to be gone long. The kitchen had obviously just been filled with groceries, the dogs were left outside with no food and Summer McStay's prescription sunglasses were sitting on a counter.

"She would have taken them because she can't see without her glasses," Aranda said.

The San Diego County Sheriff's Department conducted a check on the family Monday but has not been able to find any of the family members according to a police statement.

Sheriff's investigators scoured the family's home on Avocado Vista Lane on Friday looking for more evidence and found nothing to indicate that an act of violence took place in the home, said sheriff's homicide Lt. Dennis Brugos.

"We are still actively working the case," Brugos said Monday. "We haven't ruled out anything."

If you have information on the case, call Sgt. Dave Martinez at 858-565-5200.

MEDIA
PICTURES: McStay Family Missing

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by formrusmcsgt February 25, 2010 6:47 AM EST: Not much chance they're taking the boys for a haircut, I assume....; Reply to this comment

by spokes4ever February 25, 2010 2:02 AM EST

Didn't 48 hours not long ago do a segment on another 4 people who were abducted in Mexico and left for dead? These 4 people made it back alive.
Can you interview them again? Goush I don't mean to tell you about your job, yet with these blogs, and the world wide web,well,it gives access to lots of brain storming....
These people and the family are in my prayers...This is so terrible.

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by carolcape March 3, 2010 7:27 PM EST: I too watched the episode about the family of four who went to Mexico and were returning during the night time. Their room was given up and they had a five hour drive late at night and were abducted by the so called police.They were lucky to get through their terrifying ordeal. If the McStays ran into trouble with the Mexican so called police, they could have taken them down and dark road and shot and killed them. That is what they were going to do with the people who were coming back across the border. They had a nightmare experience and were lucky to get back to the US safely. Prayers for this family, but after seeing the story on 48 hours, I have my doubts that they are safe.


by Kotsyamama February 24, 2010 5:51 PM EST: Are there no neighbors who might have noticed the family's absence? What about the two dogs, left outside with no food or water? I am always aware of my neighors' whereabouts, if someone is going away, we tell each other and ask that the neighbors keep an eye on the property. If I had seen my neighbors' pets outside and obviously neglected, I would have investigated right away.; Reply to this comment