Sacramento children remain missing since mother's 2024 death, grandmother remains hopeful for return

It has been a year and a half since Athena and Mateo Lee were last seen after their mother, Angelica Bravo, was found dead in a north Sacramento home.

Bravo's family is still grieving her loss but believes that Athena and Mateo Lee are still out there somewhere. 

"It's been really hard," said the children's grandmother, Dawn Bodea. "There's not a day that goes by where we don't think about them and what they are doing." 

Athena is now five and Mateo is about to turn four years old. Bodea said she sees Angelica in both of them. 

"Just being able to watch them grow up and knowing how much we are missing out on has been really hard," said Bodea. "Athena was her mini-me, so much like her." 

Bodea said Athena is outgoing, and Mateo is athletic and sweet. 

"It always used to surprise me at how high he would climb on jungle gyms. He had no fear," Bodea said. 

Investigators believe the children's biological father, Camron Lee, took off with them on July 8, 2024. His car was seen crossing into Mexico the same day the children's mother was found dead. 

Investigators with the Sacramento Police Department said early tips showed that they may have been dropped off somewhere in Southern California. 

A year and a half later, those children could now be anywhere. 

"We believe every day until we know otherwise," said Gina Swankie, with the Public Affairs Office of the FBI Sacramento Field Office. 

The FBI is working with local and global law enforcement agencies, still offering a $25,000 reward for any information that leads them to the children, plus a $25,000 reward for information that helps them locate Camron. 

They also shared photos of Camron Lee showing details of the tattoos he has. 

"It feels like a failure to us every day that goes by that we haven't been able to reunite them," said Swankie. 

Sacramento police spokesperson Anthony Gamble does not believe there were any mistakes made in the investigation, but there have been challenges. 

"Law enforcement still has to act within the confines of the law," said Gamble. 

Gamble said the challenge was that Camron is the children's father, so they could not initially call it a kidnapping, and they were also waiting on the coroner's determination for Angelica's cause of death. It took months before they could call it homicide.

"I do have a lot of hope," said Bodea. 

She is hopeful there will someday be a reunion with Athena and Mateo, and she said her faith in God is what is carrying her through.
"My face is the one out there, but also there are so many people, family, that misses them so much," Bodea said. 

If you know any information, contact the FBI tipline at 1-800-CALL-FBI. You may also contact your local FBI office, the nearest American Embassy or Consulate, or you can submit a tip online at tips.fbi.gov. 

The Sacramento Police Department is still the lead investigator and urges anyone with information to contact them and speak up.