The parents of a California toddler who was last seen in March 2015 have been charged with murder and child endangerment resulting in death, according to authorities.
Omar Misael Lopez, 33, and Mayra Alejandra Chavez, 26, from Oxnard, were arrested on suspicion of murder on Valentine’s Day.
They had been in custody on civil arrest warrants since October for failing to give police accurate information on their three-year-old child’s whereabouts, police said.
Kimberly Lopez was last seen by social workers with Lopez, who had guardianship of the three-year-old, police said. Chavez was only allowed to visit Kimberly with the supervision of Lopez and of of her mother Maria Lopez.
Omar Misael Lopez, 33, and Mayra Alejandra Chavez, 26, were arrested on suspicion of murder on Valentine’s Day. Their daughter Kimberly has not been seen since March 2015
Kimberly, three, was last seen by social workers with Lopez, who had guardianship of the child
Child services didn’t look into Kimberly’s well-being until July 2016, when someone contacted them with ‘concerning’ information, Oxnard police said in a statement.
When they tried to check on the toddler several times, the girl’s parents told them she was living in Mexico with family.
Ventura County Children and Family Services reported Kimberly missing on September 2016, after Lopez and Chavez were unable to provide proof of their daughter’s whereabouts.
The parents told police their daughter was alive last time they saw her, but after months in jail their story changed.
In August, Lopez told investigators his daughter had hurt her head while he was trying to change her pants, Oxnard Detective Scott Aaron said in a court declaration.
Child services didn’t look into Kimberly’s well-being until July 2016, when someone contacted them with ‘concerning’ information
He and Chavez said they had not sought medical treatment for Kimberly, who according to them had two seizures after she hurt her head.
They alleged that the toddler died the same night and they drove her body to Tijuana, per Oxnard Detective Scott Aaron’s declaration.
Presence of human decomposition was found in the back of their vehicle by human remains detection dogs, but Kimberly’s remains have not been found.
Presence of human decomposition was found in the back of their vehicle by human remains detection dogs, but Kimberly’s remains have not been found
Interviews with family and friends of the parents lead authorities to believe Lopez and Chavez were ‘the key’ to locating Kimberly, police said.
Authorities believe the little girl was killed on June, 2015, soon after what would have been her third birthday, the Ventura County Star reported.
Kimberly was ‘placed in a situation that resulted in her death’ and Lopez and Chavez were responsible, investigators believe.
Senior Deputy District Attorney John Barrick said Lopez is also facing a torture charge related to suspected child abuse that happened in 2013.
He is being held on $6.01 million bond at Todd Road Jail in Santa Paula, and Lopez is being held at Ventura County Jail with bail set at $6 million.
If they are convicted, Chavez could get 47 years to life in prison while Lopez could get a maximum sentence of 42 years to life, according to officials.