Search continues for 2 Sacramento kids who vanished after their mother was found dead
SACRAMENTO – The desperate search for 4-year-old Athena Lee and 2-year-old Mateo Lee continues after their mother, Angelica Bravo, was found dead in a north Sacramento home on July 8.
"I just want our babies back and it's all we got left, all we got left," said Angelica's father Phillip Bravo.
Angelica's mother, Dawn Bodea, said the latest update from Sacramento Police was the kids are believed to have been dropped off somewhere in Southern California, even though the SUV their father was last seen driving was caught on camera crossing into Mexico.
"The latest news is essentially there's no news," said Bodea.
A CHP Endangered Missing Advisory identifies the kid's father, Cameron Lee, as a suspect in their disappearance, but Sac PD is calling him a person of interest they want to speak with.
"Regardless of the suspect's status as the father of the children who are missing, law enforcement has determined the children are in danger," said a criminal defense attorney unrelated to this case, Candice Fields.
Fields said the SUV crossing into Mexico complicated the case because the U.S. does not have jurisdiction to apprehend there.
Angelica's family thinks had an Amber Alert gone out before the car was spotted in Mexico, they may have had their little ones safe at home by now, but at that point, the case didn't meet Amber Alert criteria.
"It is really bad because my baby's lives are at stake right now," said Bravo.
Angelica's oldest daughter, who has a different father, Nathalia Bravo, just wants her little siblings back.
"They're the only things that really have a spirit of my mom and they make me happy," said Nathalia.
Finding little Athena and Mateo Lee continues to be investigators' priority as there continues to be uncertainty surrounding if they are in Southern California and if they are safe.
"We're all hurting and if you didn't do anything come and talk to us man, what's the deal?" said Bravo.
Angelica's death is being called a death investigation, not a homicide because they are still waiting for the autopsy report to see her cause of death.
That is why Sacramento police have not named any suspects in her death.