Los Angeles County child missing since 2020 found in North Carolina, sheriff's department says
A child who was reported missing from their home in Duarte in 2020 has been found in North Carolina, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department said.
On July 1, 2020, the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) received a report of a missing child. At the time, DCFS was conducting an investigation involving the child. The child's mother, who had custody, allegedly stopped communicating with authorities and was believed to have taken the child, the LASD said.
On March 6, detectives from the Temple Station received information suggesting the child might be in Washington County, North Carolina. Detectives contacted the Washington County Sheriff's Office, and a follow-up investigation was conducted, the LASD said.
Deputies located the child enrolled at a school.
"Registered the child in school under an alias name," LASD Lt. David Kearney said. "The Sheriff's Department in Washington County did contact the mother. She is not in custody at this time that will be part of the investigation out here that the detectives will be handling."
They were safely recovered and are now in protective custody.
"Right now, the child is in DCFS protective custody in North Carolina," Kearney said. "It's my understanding that a DCFS social worker from LA County will be going out to North Carolina tomorrow to meet with them and the child."
