California girl kidnapped in 2020 found living under alias
An 11-year-old girl kidnapped in Duarte on June 2, 2020 was found on March 10 living under an alias in Washington County Schools and is now in protective custody, the Washington County Sheriff’s Office said. The recovery of this long-cold case highlights cross-jurisdictional record checks and a tip that prompted coordinated action between California and North Carolina agencies.
California recovery in North Carolina
An 11-year-old who had been abducted on June 2, 2020 in Duarte, California was located on March 10 after deputies determined she was enrolled in Washington County Schools under an alias and took her into protective custody. The Washington County Sheriff’s Office described the recovery as a rare positive outcome in a years-old kidnapping investigation. The pattern suggests that school enrollment records and local verification remain critical tools for resolving long-running missing-child cases.
Washington County Sheriff Norman
Washington County Sheriff Arlo Norman said deputies were notified by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department and the Los Angeles Department of Children and Family Services that the child might be in North Carolina, then reviewed records and spoke with school faculty before confirming the child’s identity. The sheriff’s office thanked the agencies that assisted and called the result an example of cooperation. The figures point to the practical value of patient verification over rushing to public disclosure in complex cross-state cases.
Los Angeles County Records
Los Angeles County’s child welfare agency received a missing-persons report the month after the June 2, 2020 disappearance and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Office says the child’s mother had custody at the time and was under investigation by child welfare officials. Lt. David Kearney said a tip indicated the child was living with her mother in Washington County under an alias, and he believes the mother fled california after fearing the child would be removed from her care. One account in the case says the child’s mother is now in custody and has not been charged; other authorities in California and North Carolina have said the investigation is ongoing and have not publicly shared whether anyone has been arrested. The pattern suggests both legal and welfare questions remain to be resolved before final conclusions can be drawn.
A representative from the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services is expected to travel to North Carolina as the case continues. If that trip occurs, the agencies involved will likely address custody and welfare decisions and next steps in the ongoing investigation.
