Prosecutors say the 14-year-old is an abuse victim and have not filed charges against her in the newborn’s death.
SALINAS, Calif. — The rescue of a missing 14-year-old Monterey County girl in Mexico has shifted attention back to her status as an alleged sexual abuse victim as authorities pursue cases against both of her parents and continue investigating the death of her newborn.
The teenager was located in Mexico with her biological father, Sergio Galvez Perez, 38, after an Amber Alert and a search involving Monterey County investigators, the FBI and Mexican authorities. Officials said the girl is safe and under the care of Mexican authorities. Galvez Perez was arrested during the operation.
The search grew out of an investigation that began Aug. 1, when a newborn was found dead along Struve Road in north Monterey County. Sheriff’s investigators called the infant “Baby Angelita” and said a forensic examination found signs of traumatic injury. Investigators later connected the newborn to the 14-year-old and Galvez Perez.
Authorities allege Galvez Perez sexually abused and impregnated his daughter. Monterey County prosecutors have charged him with offenses including incest, a lewd act involving a child and child abuse. He was also sought by local authorities on allegations that he concealed the teenager and prevented investigators from locating her.
The Sheriff’s Office initially obtained a warrant based on probable cause to arrest the teenager on suspicion of murder. That action prompted questions about whether a child whom authorities also described as the victim of sexual abuse would face prosecution in the infant’s death.
The Monterey County District Attorney’s Office later said it had not filed charges against the girl and had not made a charging decision. Prosecutors publicly recognized the teenager as a victim of her father’s alleged abuse and said their priority was ensuring that she was safe and had access to services.
The distinction remains important as the investigation proceeds. An arrest warrant obtained during an investigation does not by itself mean prosecutors have filed a criminal case. As of Thursday, the District Attorney’s Office had not announced criminal charges against the teenager in connection with the newborn’s death.
Galvez Perez was arrested in Mexico after authorities said he was found with narcotics. Mexican officials were informed of the charges pending against him in Monterey County. Publicly available reports have not established when he will return to California, and authorities have continued coordinating across jurisdictions.
The girl’s mother, Ofelia Garcia Ortega, 36, is now facing a separate criminal case. Prosecutors allege she used falsified documents to put her daughter to work in agricultural fields at age 13, allowed her to drive without a license and permitted her to remain out of school for months. Garcia Ortega was arrested Tuesday and charged with two felony counts involving forged identification and two misdemeanor child-related offenses.
Garcia Ortega appeared in court Wednesday, but her arraignment was postponed because a Mixteco interpreter was not immediately available. She had not entered a plea at that hearing, and the proceeding was rescheduled for Thursday.
The newborn’s death remains under investigation. The teenager remains in the care of authorities in Mexico, while the criminal cases involving her parents and questions surrounding the infant’s death continue through separate legal processes.
Author note: Last updated October 8, 2026.