{"id":8399,"date":"2026-09-04T14:08:21","date_gmt":"2026-09-04T14:08:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/nextcitydigest.com\/?p=8399"},"modified":"2026-09-04T14:08:21","modified_gmt":"2026-09-04T14:08:21","slug":"officials-raise-concerns-on-proposed-charges-in-monterey-countys-baby-angelita-case","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nextcitydigest.com\/?p=8399","title":{"rendered":"Officials raise concerns on proposed charges in Monterey County\u2019s \u2018Baby Angelita\u2019 case"},"content":{"rendered":"
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SALINAS \u2013 Some public officials are pushing back against language used by the Monterey County Sheriff\u2019s Office in a statement Monday as the search continues for a man accused in relation to the \u201cBaby Angelita\u201d case, whose body was found on the side of the road in Moss Landing on Aug 1.<\/p>\n

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A press release by the Sheriff\u2019s Office on Monday indicated a 14-year-old girl was both the mother of \u201cBaby Angelita,\u201d 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.<\/p>\n

RELATED: The girl in horrifying Monterey County case is a victim, DA says. So why is there a warrant for her arrest?<\/strong><\/p>\n

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\u2019s abuse.<\/p>\n

Sheriff Tina Nieto also gave a live briefing Monday which indicated that they did consider the 14-year-old a suspect. \u201cI believe the 14-year-old might be in danger. That\u2019s my gut feeling as a sheriff,\u201d said Nieto. \u201cShe\u2019s 14, for God\u2019s sake. She\u2019s 14. She\u2019s a victim, too, even though she\u2019s a suspect.\u201d<\/p>\n

A press release Wednesday from the District Attorney\u2019s 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\u2019s Office.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe recognize that the 14-year-old is a victim of her father\u2019s abuse. No child should ever have to endure such horrific circumstances,\u201d said the DA\u2019s Office statement.<\/p>\n

District Supervisor Wendy Root Askew released a similar statement Thursday, criticizing the language used by the sheriff\u2019s office in more certain terms.<\/p>\n

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\u201cOn Aug. 31, 2026, the Monterey County Sheriff\u2019s 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,\u201d said the statement. \u201cThe 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.\u201d<\/p>\n

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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. \u201cChildren who are sexually abused should not have to wonder whether the adults and institutions they turn to will protect them,\u201d said the release.<\/p>\n

The district attorney also shared more about potential charges involving the 14-year-old-girl\u2019s mother, who the Sheriff\u2019s Office shared had been arrested and released on bail. The charges are unrelated to Baby Angelita\u2019s death and to the alleged sexual assault by Galvez Perez. That investigation is still ongoing.<\/p>\n

Both parties emphasized the need to find the 14-year-old victim and ensure her safety.<\/p>\n

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According to a report in SFGATE, a Monterey County Sheriff\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n

Nieto emphasized that they were still searching for Perez and urged him to turn himself in.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou need to turn yourself in,\u201d Nieto said. \u201cYou need to turn yourself in to the Monterey County detectives or to a police officer.\u201d<\/p>\n

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\u2019s Office Detective Sergeant Nicholas Kennedy at (831) 755-3773 or Detective Richard Geng at (831) 759-7279. Anyone providing information may remain anonymous.<\/p>\n

Read more Bay Area News Group girls athlete of the week: Sabrina Neal, Los Altos<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Officials and many online are concerned about the inclusion of a murder warrant against the 14-year-old, who the police said gave birth to Baby Angelita and who was a victim of her father’s sexual abuse.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":8398,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-8399","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"yoast_head":"\nOfficials raise concerns on proposed charges in Monterey County\u2019s \u2018Baby Angelita\u2019 case - Next City Digest<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/nextcitydigest.com\/?p=8399\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Officials raise concerns on proposed charges in Monterey County\u2019s \u2018Baby Angelita\u2019 case - 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