Investigation Into Missing Mother, Daughter Leads To Medley Warehouse District
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DORAL (CBSMiami) – The investigation into the disappearance of Liliana Moreno and her 9-year-old daughter Daniela have led Miami-Dade police and Medley police to a warehouse district in Medley.
The Miami-Dade Police Department's dive team checked the canal that parallels Okeechobee Road using equipment to scan the bottom. Police also had a helicopter in the air over the canal.
All this just north of a Medley warehouse complex at 10630 NW 123rd Street Road where police officers and crime scene technicians converged. They seemed to focus on one particular bay and a truck parked in front of it.
Officers said the evidence that might be found in or around the warehouse is unknown at this time.
Miami-Dade Police Det. Alvaro Zabaleta told CBS4's Peter D'Oench, "The important thing is that the community come together, especially in a situation like this to be the eyes and ears."
Earlier in the afternoon, a dumpster was towed from a warehouse building.
Zabaleta said, "Because of the inclement weather, and even though it has stopped raining, we prefer to take it to a secure area and go through it so we can see if there is anything of evidentiary value."
A man who runs a business out of one of the warehouse said police also focused their attention on the contents of a dumpster.
"The police came early in the morning, checking out the garbage cans," said Carlos Lander who learned the search was in connection to the missing woman and her daughter. It's very sad. It's a very complicated situation. It's very distressing. I hope that they can find them."
D'Oench also spoke with a friend of the mother who did not want to give his name but did want to speak out. He said he's known the mother for 12 years and had the authority to pick her up at her school.
"I talked to her the other day and everything was normal. I have seen the father two or three times. He has had his highs and lows but they did not have a normal relationship. The only thing they had in common was the little girl. She is a very normal person and it struck me that she would do everything to give her daughter a better life. She worked in architecture."
He also said on a few occasions, he's had distressing conversations about the father.
"She always told me he had his bad moments and he would threaten her," he said.
Moreno's sister, who lives in Colombia, contacted the police Tuesday after she hadn't heard from her in a couple of days. When Doral officers went to the 43-year old's apartment at 107th Avenue and NW 50th Street to check on her, neither Moreno nor her daughter were there.
Police said the door was locked and her car was there. Moreno's purse and wallet were in the apartment but her keys were missing. A cell phone was found in the apartment but police don't think it belonged to her. Moreno's cell phone is not responding to calls.
"At this time investigators have reached out to family members and friends, none of them have been able to give us an exact count of where she may be and that raises our concern significantly," said Doral Police Captain Carlos Arango. "Because there are items in the apartment such as her wallet and drivers license it leads us to believe she may have left in a hurry that is another reason for concern."
Daniela was not at school Friday or Tuesday. School was out on Monday for the Memorial Day holiday.
Arango said due to the time that has lapsed with no contact from Moreno, they suspect foul play may be involved.
Residents of the Doral Terrace community where the Morenos live were concerned when they heard what had happened.
"I heard this and get scared because this is terrible, I've been living here for four years and never hear something like that, never," said Vivian Jimenez.
Arango said the last time Liliana was possibly seen was at a local restaurant Sunday evening.
"It's been now two days and she is still unaccounted for, her cell phone stopped working. Please, we are asking if you know of their whereabouts to call police as soon as possible," said Arango"
Anyone with information is urged to call Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at (305) 471-TIPS.
