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Subscribe to RSSThe father of a 6-year-old Isabel Celis, who vanished just over three weeks ago, has now been barred from having contact with his two other children. NBC's Miguel Almaguer reports.
Updated at 8:01 p.m. ET: Child welfare officials have increased their involvement in the case of a missing 6-year-old Tucson, Ariz., girl and have forbidden the father from having contact with his other children, sources tell NBC News.
While Isabel Celis’ parents, Sergio and Rebecca Celis, have been cooperating with authorities since the child disappeared more than three weeks ago, neither parent has been ruled out as a suspect, police say.
“Until we find conclusive evidence that leads down one path, we are not going to close the doors on anything,” Tucson Police Chief Roberto Villasenor told NBC's "TODAY" on Monday.
Police say while involvement from Child Protective Services is common practice involving cases with missing children, “CPS instituted certain measures to ensure the continued welfare of the Celis children,” according to a statement released Friday.
In addition to Isabel, the Celises have two older sons, who are now in the custody of their mother, police say. The mother is no longer living with Sergio Celis, according to local media reports.
Isabel's father was reportedly alone when she disappeared and was the last one to see her missing. He reported her missing around 8 a.m. April 21 after her mother had left for work and he went to wake up the child. Isabel was not in her bedroom, he told police, and a room window was opened and its screen removed. Sergio Celis said he last saw Isabel around 11 o'clock the night before, when he put her to sleep.
Criminologist Casey Jordan, who has been following the Tucson investigation, said child welfare officials must have had established grounds for their recent involvement. “I don’t know that investigators are circling back to the family so much as they never left the family,” she told "TODAY."
Volunteers have canvassed the area, posting fliers that include a photo of the girl. Investigators have searched several homes in the neighborhood, dug up and combed the nearby landfill and searched drainage systems in Tucson.
More than 1,000 tips have poured into the police department, which has since reported spending $1 million in the investigation, according to local media reports.
Isabel's parents have made several public, emotional pleas for the safe return of their daughter in the days after her disappearance.
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Leave a Comment:
I wish they'd say why they're doing that, I wonder if there's evidence of strange behavior.
I agree- not enough information. There has to be a reason that dad can't have contact with the brothers.
Too much to assume right now. We will have to wait until they offer us some more info about the father...
When did the parents separate?
Why did they separate is the real question? There has to be a reason why just DAD can't see his boys and Mom can. Alot of questions in this case.
Why are they telling the father not to see his kids. He was the last person to see his daughter and at 11:00pm and what about others seeing her last and were they home when she went to bed. The property has a 5 foot wall and they own 3 dogs, that’s tough to rob them with and what about the window. Is it done from the inside out , does it look funny. Was he looking things up on the internet, taking pictures of his daughter or hidden cameras or left semen in Isabel‘s room or some where odd. Sounds like the Powell case and he blew himself and two kids up with him. Was he outside oddly that night and did he not go to bed right, like sleeping on the couch or getting up. Did he go for a drive that night after she was last seen. Sergio maybe a news watcher and gets ideas from there. It might be like the itsy bitsy spider, so Isabel maybe near or in water or in the woods or like Caylee was found. Her name is Isabel and Isa and Isabel Mercedes Celis , I’d think of things with these names or like and things like that. The movie Hanna comes to mind and she maybe near a bridge. What did Sergio like as hobbies before and now in the last few years, did he go hiking or jogging? She could be buried somewhere. If he gave her to someone it could be family members or friends.
If the authorities have stopped him from seeing his other kids you can bet the next thing you'll read is his arrest for whatever happened to his daughter.
Quite possible that the estranged mother threw whatever poop she could against the wall to see what would stick to him, so CPS is "just playing it safe" until it all gets sorted out.
When they say the mother no longer lives with him are they talking about the boys' mother or the mother of the little girl?
Except they were never estranged. She was completely with him until recently. In my opinion they have acted very odd throughout this whole process. I would be in front of EVERY camera I could, and yet they have been in hiding for the most part. I bet he flunked his polygraph and they have found evidence on him, and that is why she left him, and this recent turn of events. I smell an arrest in the very near future!
Makes you wonder if there are increased underground efforts to buy children. I don't understand how all these beautiful children suddenly can't be found. Whether parents are criminally involved or just criminals, these children just seem to disappear with few clues... Just horrific no matter the case.
A child is missing. The day after she is reported missing, the father is seen paying some kind of a ticket? I think, if my child was missing, I'd be searching for her instead.There's got to be something smelly going on with him. It will all be disclosed in time.
This is a really sick thought, but it seems to happen alot, but I am thinking that the dad tried to sexually assault the girl and she fought him and he killed her and then makes it look like she was taken during the night. This is not something new and sickos seem to think they can get away with it. There is a reason that the boys' are being kept from him. Maybe they know something, saw the dad behaving inappropriately towards the little girl and have told their mother and the investigators. Or, maybe he also went after them. As for him in court about a ticket, that speaks volumes. Any good parent with nothing to do with their child's disappearance would be so crazy that even doing the most normal of things is nearly impossible, so to do something so normal as to appear in court when your baby is who knows where is suspicious to me.
It's the father. It's always the father. Any time there is abuse in the family, domestic violence or sexual misconduct, you can bet good money that it's the father. Or the step-father. Or the mother's boyfriend. This is a simple case. Just figure out how he did it and mount the circumstantial evidence such as 1) He was the last to see her. 2) Theres a wall around the back of the house and a dog. 3) The screen and window were removed from the inside. The father's DNA and fingerprints are all over the house, so you don't need to look any further. Don't need a body to get a capital murder conviction. Oh, and BTW, I used to remove the screen and open the window in my bedroom and go out to play at friends' houses when I was supposed to be taking an afternoon nap when I was 5, 6 and 7 years old. I also knew how to put it all back like it was never opened. When I finally got caught at age 7 my father, who never knew about the imposed naps by mother, put an end to it. Mother's excuse was that she needed a nap so I had to take one because she was taking one. Father (rightfully) thought that was ridiculous at those ages. So, a 6-year-old girl is more than old enough to figure out how to climb out a window any time she wants.
After telling police that he suspected his daughter had been abducted, Sergio calmly stated that Rebecca was at work, then added, "I just called her and told her to get her butt home." He then chuckled."
very sad strange case...what has bothered me from day one..was why was a 6 yr old up until 11pm?? my kids were in bed much earlier...
My prayers go out to the family of the little girl and all who know her and love her. May she be returned safely to her home.
If the little girl has been harmed, I hope the police can bring the culprit(s) to justice. I'd like to thank all the people who have phoned in over 1,000 leads. It shows the community cares and is actively involved in finding this beautiful little creature of GOD.
I can only imagine the terrified and stress that her parents must be feeling at this time.