Officials raise concerns on proposed charges in Monterey County’s ‘Baby Angelita’ case

SALINAS – Some public officials are pushing back against language used by the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office in a statement Monday as the search continues for a man accused in relation to the “Baby Angelita” case, whose body was found on the side of the road in Moss Landing on Aug 1.

A press release by the Sheriff’s Office on Monday indicated a 14-year-old girl was both the mother of “Baby Angelita,” the name given to the unidentified baby by law enforcement officials, and a victim of sexual abuse by her father. The father, Sergio Galvez Perez, a 38-year-old male resident of Castroville/Salinas, is being sought by law enforcement for multiple felony warrants alleging incest, lewd acts with a child under 14, lewd acts with a minor, unlawful sexual intercourse, child concealment and child endangerment.

RELATED: The girl in horrifying Monterey County case is a victim, DA says. So why is there a warrant for her arrest?

But the press release also stated the 14-year-old girl was being sought on a murder warrant, an inclusion which sparked heavy backlash online. Many stated that the inclusion of the murder charges both distracted from the accusations against Ortega and was ignorant of her role as a victim of her father’s abuse.

Sheriff Tina Nieto also gave a live briefing Monday which indicated that they did consider the 14-year-old a suspect. “I believe the 14-year-old might be in danger. That’s my gut feeling as a sheriff,” said Nieto. “She’s 14, for God’s sake. She’s 14. She’s a victim, too, even though she’s a suspect.”

A press release Wednesday from the District Attorney’s Office clarified that they had not received a filing request for criminal charges against the 14-year-old or made any charging decisions against her, but that they had filed charges against Perez. The DA shared that law enforcement had obtained a Ramey warrant, which is a warrant issued by a judge based upon a finding of probable cause, and that is not approved by the District Attorney’s Office.

“We recognize that the 14-year-old is a victim of her father’s abuse. No child should ever have to endure such horrific circumstances,” said the DA’s Office statement.

District Supervisor Wendy Root Askew released a similar statement Thursday, criticizing the language used by the sheriff’s office in more certain terms.

“On Aug. 31, 2026, the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office issued a press release that characterizes a 14-year-old girl as a murder suspect while simultaneously alleging that she was raped and exploited by her father,” said the statement. “The public outrage I have heard over this press release is not only understandable; it is appropriate. People are angry because something feels fundamentally wrong here.”

Askew says she spoke with the Department of Social Services to share her concerns and urge more caution in communication in the Baby Angelita Case. “Children who are sexually abused should not have to wonder whether the adults and institutions they turn to will protect them,” said the release.

The district attorney also shared more about potential charges involving the 14-year-old-girl’s mother, who the Sheriff’s Office shared had been arrested and released on bail. The charges are unrelated to Baby Angelita’s death and to the alleged sexual assault by Galvez Perez. That investigation is still ongoing.

Both parties emphasized the need to find the 14-year-old victim and ensure her safety.

According to a report in SFGATE, a Monterey County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson said the family has ties to Tierra Blanca in the Mexican state of Guerrero. Investigators believe Perez and the child could still be in the Castroville or Salinas area, elsewhere in the United States, or may have fled to Mexico.

Nieto emphasized that they were still searching for Perez and urged him to turn himself in.

“You need to turn yourself in,” Nieto said. “You need to turn yourself in to the Monterey County detectives or to a police officer.”

Anyone with information that may assist investigators, including information regarding the whereabouts of Galvez Perez or the 14-year-old juvenile, is asked to contact Monterey County Sheriff’s Office Detective Sergeant Nicholas Kennedy at (831) 755-3773 or Detective Richard Geng at (831) 759-7279. Anyone providing information may remain anonymous.