Endangered Missing Alert: Siblings Abducted By Deaf Father, Police Say

LOS ANGELES COUNTY, CA — Los Angeles County authorities are searching for two critically missing children who police said were abducted by their father.

Juaquin Vides Jr., 11, and Aastha Vides, 8, were last seen on Aug. 8 at 6 p.m. in the 1000 block of West 88th Street in an unincorporated area of Los Angeles. According to police, the children were with their father, Juaquin Vides Sr., a 35-year-old Hispanic man.

Authorities later determined Juaquin Sr. to be a person of interest in the children's disappearance, according to the California Highway Patrol, which activated an Endangered Missing Advisory on behalf of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department.

Authorities said Juaquin Sr. is 5-feet 5-inches tall, weighs 220 pounds, has brown hair and brown eyes, and is deaf and mute.

Police also identified 53-year-old Sylvia Gonzalez as a second suspect. Gonzalez is a Hispanic woman who authorities said is 5-feet-1-inch tall, weighs 233 pounds, and has gray hair and hazel eyes.

Police did not disclose the relationship between Gonzalez, Juaquin Sr. and the children.

Authorities said the group may have been headed to the city of San Jose.

Jauquin Vides Jr. was described as a 3-foot-8-inch-tall boy weighing 49 pounds with black hair and brown eyes. He was last seen wearing a blue T-shirt with yellow stripes.

Police described Aastha as a 3-foot-6-inch-tall girl weighing 35 pounds with black hair and brown eyes. She was last seen wearing a green T-shirt with white flowers.

The family is concerned for the children's well-being and is asking for the public's assistance in locating them.

Anyone with information is encouraged to contact 911, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department South Los Angeles Station Detective Partida or the on-duty watch commander at 323-820-6700.