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Subscribe to RSSTucson police chief Roberto Villasenor discusses the search for 6-year-old Isabel Celis, missing for over 72 hours.
Updated at 8 p.m. ET: Police have asked the family of a 6-year-old Arizona girl who disappeared from her bedroom to leave their Tucson home after an FBI dog search Monday turned up new information that required a closer examination, investigators told KVOA.com.
Police Chief Roberto Villasenor told the NBC affiliate that canine units alerted police to a "new direction" and officers were working with the dog handlers to interpret the latest discovery inside the home of missing first-grader Isabel Mercedes Celis. Dogs from an FBI canine unit from Virginia began searching the home after midnight Monday, police said. One dog has training in tracking scents, the other is a cadaver-sniffing dog.
"We have information obtained from the dogs that necessitate our follow-up investigation," Chief Villasenor said at a news conference. "In order to do that, we secured the residence. We've asked the family to leave the residence so we don't have to talk about any other contamination of the scene."
In an interview with TODAY, Villasenor said police were investigating more than 100 leads in the case. Police say Celis' parents last saw her in her room at 11 p.m. Friday and that she was discovered missing at 8 a.m. Saturday.
“I don’t want to talk about the details of the investigation, but we are not closing our mind to any possibility,” Villasenor told TODAY.
The police chief also confirmed that a window to the ground-floor bedroom was found open and that a screen from that window had been removed, but he stopped short of saying an intruder was believed to have entered the single-story house that way.
"That would be a potential point of entry that we've been interested in from the beginning," he said.
Isabel’s disappearance has shaken her Tucson neighborhood, and teams of volunteers have canvassed the area, posting fliers that include a photo of the girl. Isabel is described as 4-feet-tall with brown hair and hazel eyes. More than 200 people attended a Sunday evening vigil in an empty parking lot near the family home. Children pleaded for the little girl to come home, vowing they would do everything to find her.
Tucson, Ariz. first-grader Isabel Celis was last seen Friday night when her parents tucked her into bed. Her father called the police after discovering her missing Saturday morning. NBC's Miguel Almaguer reports.
More than 150 law enforcement officers have been involved in the search, police said. Villasenor told TODAY officers have searched the local landfill and transit station in efforts to find more clues, but there is no single lead on which they are focusing.
"If you start to do that too early and you start try and to focus on one particular path, you run the risk of losing other investigative leads or not recognizing those leads," Villasenor said.
Pacheco said investigators had questioned all 17 registered sex offenders in that area, a middle-class neighborhood consisting mainly of single-family dwellings, but those interviews turned up no clues.
He said officers had served at least two search warrants. The girl's parents, identified by friends as Becky and Sergio Celis, were helpful in the search for their youngest child, he said. Villasenor said police had classified the case as a "suspicious disappearance/possible abduction."
The family's minister, Miguel Mariano, parish priest of Saint Joseph Roman Catholic Church about a block away from Isabel's home, said he met with her parents and brothers on Sunday morning and prayed with them.
He described the family as looking distraught and distressed. "I asked, 'Do you need anything? Food? Anything from the community?' They said, 'No father, at this time we need your prayer,'" the priest recalled.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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I hope this child will be found safe & healthy!
There are just too many of these stories of children disappearing right from their own beds.
agreed, but alas the odds are against it.
I agree. I hope this child is alive, well and unharmed. Although I know in my heart that as time goes by that will not be the case most likely.
There are too many stories of children being snatched from their homes and beds and never being seen or heard from again. I just hope this family has a happy ending to their story.
I certainly hope that they find this little girl alive and well. Unfortunately, the odds are not good. The more time that passes the worse the odds get. The fact that they are keeping the family out of the house must mean that they have found something in the house that points to a suspect. It is a sad but true fact that in these cases it more often than not a family member that is found to be responsible. How many times have we watched grieving mothers and fathers turn on the water works for the the TV camera only to learn later that they were the ones responsible. I am not saying that this is the case here as there is no evidence that has been made public yet to support that. I certainly hope that this is not the case and that the child is found alive and well.
There are so many predators around. I always taught my kids to fight like hell if someone tried to grab them--scream, bite, make a commotion. You increase your odds for survival if you resist.
First of all my prayers go out to the family for this girls safe return home.
It seems that Arizona law enforcement is not that great at finding missing children. Lets not forget Jhessye Shockley, they still have no new information in this case, and it's been a very long time, they gave up hope for finding Shockley alive, ... with no given reason, and have been searching the landfill for months now. I really hope that they find Isabel alive and well. And I still hope they find Jhessye. You would think that with Phoenix topping the nation in kidnappings, that the AZ law enforcement for missing people especially children would be the most funded and heavily backed department here in AZ, but nope, our law enforcement here in AZ is too occupied going after illegal immigrants, and taking away civil liberties.
b.s. .........close the boarder, hence problem solved. and who's civil liberty's? the illegal aliens who have committed a FELONY by being here? Sorry that don't wash.
Wow...your name says it all.
Amazingly you don't cite any facts. Why, just last month they located a missing child immediately because he was actually Missing and not kidnapped or killed. People like you are such a nuisance. No facts but you do your very best to try and sound like your information is legit and not your own uninformed opinion.
It has to be easy when children are abducted right? Those cases in Missouri and Maine sure worked out pretty quickly right?
Alwaysright, they gave up hope on finding Jhessye? The mother has been in jail since she went missing and the authorities know she was taken to a trash dumpster in Tempe! They will not say anymore about that yet, but someone told them and that is why they have been tirelessly looking and digging where that dumpster was unloaded. I live here too and watch the news.
AlwaysRight - since you know so much more than Arizona law enforcement teams and can do a better job of finding her, then why don't you go do it? If someone abducts a child, then that person is obviously going to do everything possible to avoid being caught. Same thing if the parents or someone else killed her. This only happened a couple of days ago. Give law enforcement credit for doing the best that they can do and give them time to do their job.
AlwaysRight...you might want to just do a quick google on Jhessye before you say anything.
Alwaysright, what civil liberties are you specifically referring to?
4 foot tall and only 6 years old?
alwayssortarights LAST post was back in Dec.
So I wouldn't waste no more time and effort on her post, cept to delete it maybe !
Which is "copspeak" for, we don't have a clue but are going to plod along and hope we stumble across something.
I think the translation is closer to, "We're pretty sure it was someone in the family, but we're not going to say that until we have enough evidence to slap cuffs on them so they don't jump the border."
IA.ScooterTramp - I'll tell you the same thing that I told AlwaysRight. If you can do a better job, then go out there and do it. You've been watching too many cops and robbers shows down there in your parent's basement and don't have a clue about what is really involved in this kind of search. Do you honestly think that Arizona law enforcement doesn't want to find her?
lame@ scales. By your logic no one can complain about the government or the POTUS or anything for that matter. "If you aren't happy with the President then why dont you go become the President." What a joke.
The cops aren't going to tell everything...you know this. Maybe ya'll should try and support the cops instead of hating them all the time.
That's a very small window of a timeline for when she was last seen and found missing (11 pm -8 am)..plus the parents were there so take a hour off before they went to sleep and another for when they woke up..that leaves only a seven hour window to figure out what happen in seven possible hours.
I also hope the little girl is ok, this is a hard case like most times a child is missing... a lot of wacko's out there so do secure your homes good no matter where you live.
The screen missing could be a subterfuge. I know it's not impossible but hard to believe someone would crawl through the window and abduct this child without anyone else in the house hearing something. Parents if you sleep that soundly get an alarm system or a dog that will bark his butt off. Something just stinks here, I can smell it all the way to Florida. When something like this happens every car at the border should be required to open the trunk. I'm praying for this child.
Then I guess you have never heard of Elizabeth Smart?
Etan Patz disappeared in broad daylight.
Look up Jessica Lundsford. What a silly comment, really. Of course the cops know someone in the house could have done it. Seriously sick of people who think they are the only ones who thought of the obvious. They always look at members of the household and family first.
It is so depressing reading about another missing child. I pray for this child that all will be well, but tragically it does not seem likely; it seems that it is very rare indeed that we ever hear of a good outcome.
Heartbreaking.
Please let it not be someone in the family.
Baring the parents from the house? Uh oh - here we go. Another successful parenting story.
Hope you're wrong, Suds, but unfortunately, signs are pointing in that direction.
What difference would that make?
Or maybe they don't want to disturb the scene so the dogs can do their best work.
But where is the conspiracy in that? Must have conspiracy!
As we speak, parents thousands of miles away from the crime scene will be locking their children in their homes and escorting them everywhere they go, fearful that somehow, someway, this event puts their own children at risk.
Paranoid Personality Disorder (Diagnostic Code 301.0, DSM-IV)
What is this new development with "additional evidence" found in the home and parents banned. Now I want bars on windows.
H M...
The dogs probably smelled blood. Of course as any parent knows, we're probably all guilty of that. How many times has a son or daughter fallen and opened a lip or other body part.
Don't let the hyper news of today make you fearful. Unfortunately, things like this have always happened and will continue to happen. The difference today is the 24/7 news cycle on a global basis. Not many people outside of New York heard about Etan Patz when he disappeared... at least not until his family and friends pushed for more coverage and help finding him.
why don't you just wait to find out like everyone else?
Its the parents, just wait and see.
Vet... the problem is they're the ones you hear about and get national or even international coverage. More often than not, you never hear about the thousands of other kids that go missing. Which is sad, but unfortunately true.
The world really isn't any worse than it always has been, it's just more public about it now.
VET 87-94
That's what everyone said in the Elizabeth Smart case too, and Jon Benet Ramsey.
No matter who did it, she's gone. The longer she's gone, the worse it probably is.
Go hug your kids...
Are there any statistics on children that disappear from their beds that shows how often it is a family member as opposed to a stranger abduction?
It's hard to know the truth of this missing girl. I'm just praying she is safe where ever she is.
I hope she is found alive and unharmed. I have to say that I find it strange how children disappear from within the home, let alone their own bed. Sickos are bold to go into the home while the family is there. It just never sounds right when I hear stories like this. Same thing happend with baby Lisa and we haven't heard anything about her.
Something is not right about this story. Was the window screen already broken BEFORE the girl went missing or did it happen during the abduction? Has the neighborhood been checked for registered sex offenders living in this area? Any handyman, day worker, maintenance worker "helping" in the search for her? Are they using bloodhounds or tracking dogs to try to pick up her scent outside the home? All vacant buildings, houses, sheds being searched there?
Please pray for this family that the little girl is found safe and soon.
Heather, please read the article. It will answer most of your questions.
To everyone that reads this and posts, please say a brief prayer,,,,,it may not help, but it can't hurt,,,,,
Either way I'm going to hug my kids a little tighter tonight and say a prayer that this poor little girl is found safely very soon.
@Philly- as a mom of two- I completely am with you and did exactly the same thing. As my daughter is the same age and has that same spunky, brown eyed girl look- it hits harder...I can't imagine the horror of losing either of my two beautiful kids- but seeing a little girl, same age (and some other similarities) it just gut punches me. Cayley Anthony and my daughter are also the same age and I have a pic of her that is almost identical as one they showed of Cayley over and over...I am ever so vigilant watching over my kids and making sure they know about stranger danger....I want to make sure they have every tool in their small toolboxes to survive and I hope and pray it's enough to keep them safe.
I hope with all of my heart that she is ok, and I hope and pray that the parents had nothing to do with her disappearance...It all breaks my heart no matter who does bad things to kids- because I just don't understand how anyone can do anything to innocent, defenseless kids (let alone another human being in general)...but even more so when it's a parent and their own flesh and blood...I know I'm not the only one...but it nags at my heart.
Hug and love any of the kids you have in your life (yours, your niece and nephews, grandchildren, etc) and make sure you cherish every moment you have with them. Say a prayer and send all of the positive thoughts you have to Isabel and her family that they find her alive and well...it doesn't happen often, but maybe this will be another Elisabeth Smart or one of the other few kids we've been lucky enough to see a happier ending with...
philly I don't know how you parents do this sometimes. I am not a mother, and at times like this I am glad. It's bad enough when I worry about my nieces and my nephew.
Small children do not just "wander off" in the middle of the night and child predators snatch their victims in public places. Lock your doors at night and you can pretty much rest assured that no one is going to break in and snatch your child.
I agree w/you, leroy. 6 years old is too old to just wander off.
I'm 27years old, when I was growing up my brothers & friends we're almost abducted in broad daylight. In fact I have been almost abducted 3 seperate times when I was walking home alone around dusk time. Once with friends & brothers 3 times all alone. It's the sacriest thing ever & you run as fast as you can till your legs turn to jelly your so scared. I'm glad I got away those times older men tried to get me.
One time two Older Men chased the three of us all the way to the back porch where my friends Mom was standing with a Deer rifle & shot one of them in the shoulder. He got caught at the Hospital & thrown in Jail for a long time. We we're 7-8.. The point of my post is to share my stories. On how scary abduction can be & I feel bad for what these children go through. They have to be terrorized half to death. I feel for them. & when I have my own Children I will be forever vigilant & be with my children almost everywhere. Lock your doors at night & buy a 45cal Handgun or a defense 12gauge Shotgun, Be Sure To Keep them away from Children & show them how to use them when they are old enough so they can defend themselves when they are home alone.
Hope they find this little girl quickly & safely.
One thing to think about- yes anyone can climb IN a window, but to get the child out would mean walking through the house and going through the door, and risking waking up the parents. Going out the window would mean an accomplice. Was there a dead bolt? Only the cops know all the facts, still interesting reading all the ideas, though.
Thoughts and prayers. MANY thoughts and prayers!
She's a very pretty little girl. Hope she's found safely.
There have been lots of the same type of missing child’s from very early age to age 6 I’d guess, in the last few years. A lot of the little girls were white with blue eyes and this girl is different. I think the use of online sites like Facebook and myspace are to blame. Also parents being to easy on where a child sleeps and maybe alone, like allowing people to see into a child’s room. Parents should know to keep the shades down of a child’s bedroom, especially on the first floor. There is the Elizabeth Smart case and the family had known the kidnapper but it still took a long time to find her and get info right. I think people are learning from old cases and there out comes, as to a good way to take a child. Its tough to know how to connect any of the missing girls cases but there are a lot of the same cases and no one is telling parents how to protect there children. Rate now it is seen as a easy steal of a child if they are on the first floor and sleeping alone, depending on age. I'm not sure how to tell people on how to protect there children.
This child is Hispanic or something but is wearing a blue bow in her hair and that looks like Alice in wonderland and that girl did go missing and is an idea of a kidnapping. Also the color of the bow is blue and that could connect it to the other missing girls with the color blue to it. I’d think a Jewish person but these days anyone can be Jewish and so that is tough. The kidnapper may have family that suffered of some sort in the holocaust and in Europe, with the Nazis take over. The removal of the window is the same in a lot of these cases. I’d like to know if this girl and how many others were posted on the internet, in a way for others to look up and profile his victims. What stands out the most is the color blue in a lot of the missing girls and maybe the kidnapper is hating this color and the way the girls are kidnapped.