Why Wasn't An Amber Alert Issued In Missing Baby Investigation?
SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — As Sacramento mother is grieving the death of her eight-month-old daughter, the search is on for the baby's father.
Baby Alexia Rose was found dead outside a mortuary in Bellflower, near Los Angeles. She was last seen in the area in the backseat of the car her father, Alexander Echeverria, was driving.
Investigators say this is really a two-part investigation. They're looking into how, and why, this tragic death happened and they're asking for the public's help finding Echeverria.
The baby's mother, Karla Alvarado, has the same questions.
"My baby wasn't trash. He shouldn't have took her, you know?" Alvarado said.
She found out her daughter was found dead Monday night from investigators.
"He tells me they had found a dead baby, and I knew it was her because it was her blanket, and it was her car seat," Alvarado said.
Swipe to see pictures of Baby Alexia
Alvarado tried to get the Sheriff's Office to put out an Amber Alert early Monday morning.
"They told me they couldn't do it because she was with her father," Alvarado said.
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The Sheriff's Office says certain criteria has to be met to issue an Amber Alert, and said this was not considered a kidnapping. The child's body being found was almost simultaneous to the father being reported missing.
Tess Derding with the Sacramento County Sheriff's Office said, "I'm not sure that the timing would have allowed for an Amber Alert or anything like that. Certainly, if that were appropriate at the time, then it would have been done, so it might just have been a time issue."
Alvarado says she never thought her child's father, who she was living with, would be capable of something like this.
She told CBS13 domestic violence was present in their relationship.
"He would choke me, he would grab me by the hair, and drag me around the room or slam me on the wall," she said.
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She says Echeverria was never arrested for the violence but says when he has been in trouble with the law in the past he runs from the police.
"All he does is run. He doesn't face his problems. But this isn't a game, this is my baby. He needs to face the consequences if he did this on purpose. If he was capable of leaving her next to a dumpster, then he has no heart right?" Alvarado said.
Anyone knowing the whereabouts of Alexander Echeverria is urged to contact the Sacramento County Sheriff's Office at (916) 874-5115 or Sacramento Valley Crime Stoppers at (916) 443-HELP. Tip information may also be left anonymously at www.sacsheriff.com or by calling (916) 874-TIPS (8477). Tipsters may be eligible for a reward by providing information leading to the arrest of this suspect through Sacramento Valley Crime Stoppers.