Missing mom, daughter ‘taken against their will’ found safe in Mexico, Georgia cops say
UPDATE:
A missing girl and her mother who were forcibly taken earlier this week have been found safe, according to Georgia authorities.
Esperanza Parada-Olivas, 45, and Rachel Zecena, 6, were found in Mexico and are now back in the U.S., the Cumming Police Department confirmed Dec. 29.
The girl’s father, Alexis Zecena-Lopez, was arrested in connection with the kidnapping. He is awaiting extradition, police said.
ORIGINAL:
A missing girl and her mom may have been “taken against their will,” Georgia officials say.
A Levi’s Call — a type of Amber Alert — was issued for 6-year-old Rachel Zecena after she and her mother were last known to be in the Atlanta area, according to a Dec. 28 news release from the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.
The girl’s mom, 45-year-old Balvanera Esperanz Parada-Olivas, is described as being 5 feet, 2 inches tall with brown eyes and black hair.
Officials say the two are “are believed to have been taken against their will by Zecena’s father, Alexis R. Zecena-Lopez.” The 55-year-old, who could be armed, is 5 feet, 8 inches tall and 175 pounds with brown eyes and black hair, according to state investigators.
The last time anyone was known to be in contact with the missing pair was from 5 to 6 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 26. At the time, the mom “was picking her daughter up from the father’s home in Cumming,” roughly 40 miles northeast of downtown Atlanta.
“They may be traveling in Mrs. Parada-Olivas’ black 2016 Ford Focus, GA tag RVX9470,” according to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.
Officials on Facebook shared photos of the girl and her parents. They ask anyone with information about the disappearance to call 911 or police at 770-781-3087.
This story was originally published December 28, 2021 at 8:23 AM with the headline "Missing mom, daughter ‘taken against their will’ found safe in Mexico, Georgia cops say."
