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HeadMarshal
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Posts: 9,156

Sofia Juarez - Washington - 2003 Jul 5, 2014 20:13:12 GMT -5

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Post by HeadMarshal on Jul 5, 2014 20:13:12 GMT -5

4-year old Sofia Juarez has been missing from Kennewick, Washington for over a decade. Her case was aired on AMW twice in 2003.

On the evening of Feb 4, 2003, Sofia told her mother that she was going a store and was given a dollar to spend. She assumed she would be going with Sofia's grandmother's boyfriend, Jose Lopez Torres. However, when he returned and said the girl had not gone with him, a search was launched.

A 10-year old relative claimed to have seen Sofia walking down the driveway with a man in black clothing that night, however this hasn't been confirmed. Torres has been ruled out as a suspect. Convicted sex offender and neighbour Kevin Ireland is a person of interest in the case, he made a comment about Sofia over the phone and was charged with telephone harassment. Authorities were interested in his white Ford van because a similar vehicle had been spotted near Sofia's home around the time of her disappearance. He is only a person of interest in the case. A witness also claimed to have seen an orange van with a double "J" in the license plate, driven by a white male around the time of Sofia's disappearance.

In 2013, authorities said they were no closer to figuring out what happened to Sofia. There have been plenty of rumors regarding her case, everything from being hit by a van to being abducted and taken to Mexico.

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Thoughts? There doesn't seem to really be much to work with in this case sadly. I'm also doubting that Kevin Ireland really has anything to do with this, since he isn't referenced in any recent news report and the comment was made to his wife (according to what I read), which doesn't prove anything.

www.charleyproject.org/cases/j/juarez_sofia.html
www.tri-cityherald.com/2013/02/04/2261873/10-year-anniversary-of-disappearance.html

Admin Note : If you have any news-related updated information on this case, please contact us here: amwfans.com/thread/1662/website-contact-form

Last Edit: Dec 6, 2016 7:39:08 GMT -5 by Scumhunter

Scumhunter
Commissioner (Admin)

Posts: 38,990

Sofia Juarez - Washington - 2003 Jul 5, 2014 20:18:48 GMT -5

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Post by Scumhunter on Jul 5, 2014 20:18:48 GMT -5

Being abducted and taken to Mexico for whatever reason doesn't make much sense to me. Maybe if this girl was from New Mexico or Texas but all the way up North? She was likely abducted by a sexual predator imo. Unfortunately, over a decade and no promising new leads.

Scumhunter
Commissioner (Admin)

Posts: 38,990

Sofia Juarez - Washington - 2003 May 8, 2021 22:18:04 GMT -5

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Post by Scumhunter on May 8, 2021 22:18:04 GMT -5

Possible update:

CNN)A TikTok video has led to fresh leads in the case of Sofia Juarez, who was abducted one day before her fifth birthday in 2003 as she walked near her home, according to police in Kennewick, Washington state.

Users of the social media app TikTok contacted Kennewick police after seeing a video featuring a young woman in Mexico that they said matched the approximate age and possibly aged appearance of Juarez.

In the video shot in Culican, Sinaloa, in March, a TikTok personality interviewed the woman in Spanish. When asked about her age, she said she is 22, and went on to say she hates birthdays. The woman then said that she'd like to speak to her family because some people have said she'd been kidnapped, and she doesn't know where she is from.

"We are aware of the TikTok video," the Kennewick police said in a statement. "Investigation is being conducted into that. Thank you to those who sent information on that video to us. It is appreciated," the police said on the webpage set up to generate new leads in the investigation.

The site includes age-progression photographs showing what Juarez might look like today.

Juarez would be 23 years old, and TikTok users say the woman in the video bears a resemblance to the missing girl.

Kennewick Police Special Investigator Al Wehner said investigators have been in touch with the personality who interviewed the woman on video. He has been helping them try to relocate the woman in Culican, Wehner said.

Wehner said he was not able to release the name of the TikTok personality at this time.

Some people claiming to be the woman's family have contacted the TikToker saying she isn't Juarez and telling him to stop publicizing the video, according to Wehner. He said he finds these calls suspicious because when Kennewick investigators tried to follow up they were unable to reach any of the callers.

"There's some very obvious similarities," Wehner said about the TikTok woman and the missing girl. Ultimately, Wehner said, investigators hope to ask the woman to do a DNA test to compare to Juarez' DNA on file.

Juarez' mother died in 2009, Wehner said, but investigators remain in close contact with the rest of her family.
On the website set up for the case, police say Juarez -- who went missing on the night of February 4, 2003 -- has never been forgotten.

"Sofia was a beacon of sunshine who had a bright and innocent life stolen from her. Her family, friends and community have lived under a dark cloud since she was taken from us. Sofia was, and still is, loved by all who knew her. Sofia will never be forgotten," the site says.

As a result of many new tips coming in on the case, police say they now have "a high degree of interest" in a light blue, silver or gray, late 1970's to early 1980's full-sized panel van with no side windows that was seen in the area around the time of Juarez' disappearance.

CNN has reached out to the TikTok personality for comment.

www.cnn.com/2021/05/07/us/tiktok-video-missing-girl-case/index.html

Scumhunter
Commissioner (Admin)

Posts: 38,990

Sofia Juarez - Washington - 2003 Jun 9, 2021 4:22:15 GMT -5

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Post by Scumhunter on Jun 9, 2021 4:22:15 GMT -5

UPDATE:

KENNEWICK, WA - On June 2, 2021, the Kennewick Police Department (KPD) released new updates on the investigation of the missing child Sofia Juarez, who went missing in Kennewick in 2003 and hasn't been found since.

Information from a credible witness says they saw a female matching Sofia's description kidnapped by a boy around the age of 11 to 14.

"This witness reported this 18 years ago, immediately after seeing press coverage on the disappearance of Sofia Juarez," said KPD's Public Information Officer, Lieutenant Aaron Clem. "But we kept that information confidential for the past 18 years because we were using that to find the person and did not want them to know we were trying to find them."

Now, police say this information was released because they have determined it is now helpful for the public to know this detail.

"We are getting this information out there so that people who may know something can bring forth new details, information, or leads," says Clem.

The witness saw the pre-teen take Sofia by the hand, who were both walking on South Washington Street near Easter 15th Avenue, and took her near an occupied van that was parked on the next street. The girl, whom the witness confirmed was Sofia's, was crying while the boy laughed.

Police cannot confirm yet if the pre-teen was working alone or with someone else.

"We want this person to know that we're still looking for him," says Lieutenant Aaron Clem.

The occupied van was described as a light blue or gray 1970s or early 1980s fill-sized panel type van with no side windows.

If you know any further information on the van or suspect, especially if it occurred between 8-9:15 pm on February 3rd on South Washington Street near Easter 15th Avenue, call special investigator Al Wehner at 509-582-1331.

In regards to the viral TikTok video by creator Aka y Alla who interviewed a 23-year-old woman in Culiacan, whom many suspected looked like a grown Sofia, police are still investigating.

"It's much more difficult because she's in Mexico," says Clem.

Clem did say that the creator, Aka y Alla, is being very cooperative with the police on the investigation. They received a call from someone who claims to be a family member of the girl in the Tik Tok video. This person says that the girl is not Sofia and is now in a rehabilitation center, but police are still working to confirm this through a DNA sample.

For more information, or to leave a tip on Sofia's case, go to Kennewick Police's website specially dedicated to Sofia.

www.nbcrightnow.com/news/police-share-details-on-the-person-they-believed-kidnapped-kennewicks-sofia-juarez/article_14ce0f8e-c7e8-11eb-a902-f3d7953b4b49.html

www.nbcrightnow.com/news/3-updates-in-the-sofia-juarez-case-tiktok-video-suspect-description-and-new-reward/article_b1713a6e-c3f6-11eb-8254-cb5a651b1196.html

Last Edit: Jun 9, 2021 4:22:29 GMT -5 by Scumhunter

Scumhunter
Commissioner (Admin)

Posts: 38,990

Sofia Juarez - Washington - 2003 Jun 9, 2021 4:23:41 GMT -5

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Post by Scumhunter on Jun 9, 2021 4:23:41 GMT -5

Also here is a link to a youtube video that features the TikTok video with the girl who people think might be Sofia Juarez. I agree the girl does look like Sofia, but I wouldn't be surprised if it was a different kidnapped girl. It is a promising lead though.

m.youtube.com/watch?v=Ito_mkKlsS4