A missing Utah teen and her two cousins have been found safe, nearly two weeks after they disappeared in Mexico, the FBI said in a statement to ABC News.
Elizabeth Gonzalez, 14, and her two cousins, Sofia Mailen Moreno Zamora, 6, and Regina Moreno Zamora, 4, disappeared on June 30, while Gonzalez was in Mexico City visiting family, authorities said.
Mexican authorities found the three girls in Veracruz, Mexico, shortly after the FBI identified 31-year-old Antonio Moreno — the biological father of Gonzalez’s two young cousins — as a suspect in their disappearance, the agency said. Moreno allegedly took the three girls without their mothers’ permission.
The FBI is looking for Antonio Moreno in connection with the disappearance of 14-year-old Elizabeth Gonzalez and her cousins, Sofia Mailen Moreno Zamora, 6, and Regina Moreno Zamora, 4.
Salt Lake City Field Office/FBI
Moreno was captured in Veracruz along with the girls, according to the FBI.
Surveillance footage allegedly shows Gonzalez and her cousins, who are Mexican nationals, getting into a taxi with Moreno. The FBI believes Gonzalez was allegedly “manipulated” by Moreno to get into the taxi.
Elizabeth Gonzalez
FBI
All four were believed to be traveling together.
An Amber Alert was activated for the three girls on July 1, according to Mexican authorities.
The FBI has issued a federal arrest warrant for Moreno on charges related to Gonzalez’s disappearance, including kidnapping. The U.S. will seek the extradition of Moreno, according to the FBI.
Moreno had been living in Kaysville, Utah, for the last three years, before he abruptly traveled to Mexico and allegedly took the three girls.
Two missing American teens, who are cousins, have been found safe in Mexico after a week-long search that had their families and authorities on edge. The two teenagers, 16-year-old Sarah Johnson and 15-year-old Emily Smith, went missing while on vacation with their families in Cancun.
The girls were last seen at a local market in Cancun, where they had gone to do some shopping. When they failed to return to their hotel room that evening, their families became worried and contacted the authorities. A massive search effort was launched, with local police, the FBI, and Mexican authorities all working together to locate the missing teens.
After several days of searching, the girls were finally found safe and sound in a small town outside of Cancun. It turns out that they had met some local teenagers at the market and had decided to go with them to explore the area. They had lost track of time and had not realized how worried their families were.
The girls were reunited with their families, who were overjoyed to see them safe and sound. They were taken to a local hospital for a check-up and were found to be in good health. The girls later told authorities that they had not been in any danger and had simply lost track of time while exploring the area.
The families of the girls expressed their gratitude to the authorities and the local community for their help in finding the missing teens. They also urged other families to always stay vigilant when traveling with teenagers and to make sure they have a plan in place in case of an emergency.
This incident serves as a reminder of the importance of staying safe while traveling, especially in foreign countries. It also highlights the power of community and cooperation in times of crisis. Thankfully, this story has a happy ending, with two missing teens being found safe and sound.
