MONTEREY COUNTY, CA — The search continues Wednesday for a 38-year-old man who got his 14-year-old daughter pregnant and then made her to kill the infant in Monterey County, police said.
"Sometimes finding someone faster can mean the difference between simply investigating what already happened and preventing another victim," said Sheriff Tina Nieto at a press conference Tuesday.
The Monterey County Sheriff's Office issued warrants Monday for Sergio Galves Perez, 38, of Salinas, and his 14-year-old daughter.
Galvez Perez faces charges of incest, lewd or lascivious acts with a child under 14, lewd acts with a minor, unlawful sexual intercourse, child concealment and child endangerment, officials said.
Nieto told KRON4 Tuesday that the 14-year-old girl is considered both a murder suspect and a victim of sexual abuse
"Two things can be true at once. You can be a victim and also you could be a suspect," Nieto told KRON4. "And our job is to follow the evidence and figure out what happened. We do not ignore one victim over another victim."
On the morning of Aug. 1, first responders were called to the 100 block of Struve Road following a report that an infant had been found. Fire officials confirmed that morning the baby was dead.
Detectives said they learned the teen girl had given birth to the baby, whom investigators are calling "Baby Angelita,"along the side of the road and left the infant on the ground before leaving, the sheriff's office reported.
A postmortem forensic examination found that the baby still had her umbilical cord attached and signs of traumatic injury, officials said.
More California News:
Police said Galvez Perez is currently concealing the 14-year-old girl and preventing law enforcement from locating her.
"We need to find this 14‑year‑old child," Nieto said. "We need Sergio Galvez Perez to stop hiding and face the charges against him."
The sheriff's office is asking anyone who sees Galvez Perez or the teen to immediately call 911.
Officials warned the public not to approach or confront Galvez Perez.
Anyone with information that could assist investigators, including information about the whereabouts of Galvez Perez or the girl, can contact Detective Sgt. Nicholas Kennedy at 831-755-3773 or Detective Richard Geng at 831-759-7279.
Tips can be provided anonymously, the sheriff's office said.
The investigation remains active.
Sign up for free local newsletters and alerts for the
Watsonville Patch
Patch.com is the nationwide leader in hyperlocal news.
Visit Patch.com to find your town today.