Amber Alert from Tracy

A search is being conducted to find an 8-year-old California girl reported missing Friday about 60 miles east of Sanfrancisco.

Sandra Cantu was last seen in the Orchard Estates Mobile Home Park between 2:30 and 3:00 p.m. She is Hispanic, 4 feet tall, and weighs 45 pounds, with brown hair and brown eyes. She was wearing a pink Hello Kitty T-shirt and black leggings.

The Tracy Police Department is seeking the public’s help in locating Cantu. Police are being assisted by investigators from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, California Highway Patrol aircraft, the San Joaquin Sheriff’s Office, Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Office, the FBI, Tracy Volunteers in Police Services and Tracy Community Emergency Response Team.
Anyone with helpful information is asked to call the Tracy Police Department at 209-831-4550 or the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at 800-843-5678.

Update Found: Amber Alert issued for girl kidnapped in Yreka

"Second picture is NOT with the missing girl."

His home is listed in Hornbrook, CA which is about 15 miles North of Yreka.

An Amber Alert has been issued for a 3-year-old girl who was kidnapped from her home early today during a burglary in Siskiyou County in Northern California.

The suspect in the kidnapping is 22-year-old Kody Lee Kaplon, according to a bulletin issued by the Yreka Police Department. He is believed to have driven off with the girl, Francis Ann Collins, at about 4:30 a.m., police said.

The girl's family met Kaplon over the weekend, police said, but further details were not available.

Francis is described as white, 3 feet tall, weighing 30 pounds, with brown hair and brown eyes. She was last seen wearing a tie-dyed T-shirt.

Kaplon is described as white, 5 feet 7 inches tall, weighing 140 pounds, with brown hair and hazel eyes. He has tattoo of an iron cross on his left hand and other tattoos on both arms, including one of a "mud-flap girl," authorities said.

He was last seen driving a 1992, dark green Pontiac Grand Am, with California license plate 3WKA651 or 3WCA651. There was no indication of where he may be going.

Update: Police Lt. Dave Gamache says a California Highway Patrol officer found Frances Ann Collins walking unclothed down a roadway northwest of Yreka on Monday afternoon. Gamache says the girl appeared to be fine and was taken to an area hospital for treatment.

An earlier Amber Alert that was expanded to Oregon and Nevada has been canceled.
The alleged abductor, 22-year-old Kody Lee Kaplon, surrendered Monday after calling an Amber Alert hotline. He has denied abducting the girl.

Update Found: Oakley Amber Alert Amber Alert Missing Child

Bria Kidd was last seen 2/23/09 You can click the photo above for a better view. She may not meet the criteria for a National Amber Alert. But being missing in our community warrants a Local Amber Alert.

I was contacted by City Council Member Romick who confirmed that Bria Kidd was a runaway that has now been reunited with her family. If you see any of the many flyers that are out there still, please feel free to remove them. These flyers were posted all over Diamond Hills Sports Club.

Amber Alert - Missing Children

January 30th 2009 marked the 20th year that Local girl Ilene Misheloff -- Dublin, CA went missing. With the popularity of Blogging on sites such as Broakley.com and Claycord.com in the California Bay Area I wanted to makes sure that local coverage for missing children continues even after the news ratings say don't talk about it anymore.

For those of you who don't know, Amber Alert is when a child has gone missing and law enforcement issues immediate, up-to-date information that aids in the child's safe recovery.

The AMBER ALERT Program has helped in successfully recovering over one hundred children since it was established statewide in California on July 31, 2002.

The AMBER ALERT Program originated in Texas in 1996 after 9-year-old Amber Hagerman was abducted and murdered. Texas organized a system that encouraged law enforcement agencies to alert the media following a confirmed child abduction. California introduced the AMBER ALERT concept in 1999 as a regional program. In 2002 it was adopted statewide after legislation established procedures to assist law enforcement.

The Bay Area has had more than it's share of missing Children.
Antioch, CA Chelsea & Zachary Smith Missing 12/19/1997

Concord, CA Nelssy Gonzalez Missing 9/1/2003
Concord, CA Tara Burke "Found Alive"
Dublin, CA --Ilene Misheloff Missing 1/30/1989
Fairfield, CA -- Amanda Campbell Missing 12/27/1991

Fairfield, CA --Clark Handa Missing 8/23/1984
Hayward, CA -- Michaela Garecht Missing 11/19/1988
Pinole, CA -- Amber Swartz-Garcia Missing 6/3/1988
S.F., CA -- Kevin Collins Missing 2/10/1984
San Pablo, CA -- Tara Cossey Missing 6/6/1979

As shown with the case of Tara Burke who was just under 3 years old when she was abducted and held captive for 10 months in a Van that drove through our neighborhoods and stayed at different locations throughout the Bay Area these children can be found alive with our help.

Also we can't forget the story of Steven Stayner who was abducted from Merced County on December 4th 1972 when he was 7 years old. He was held captive for 7 years until his kidnapper Kenneth Parnell brought home a new child Timothy "Timmy" White that was abducted. Steven hitchhiked with Timmy to Ukiah where they went to the police while their kidnapper was away at work. Kenneth Parnell only served 5 years of his 7 year sentence.

Update: In 2003 Berkeley police took 72-year-old Kenneth Parnell into custody for allegedly trying to buy a 4-year-old child. He was convicted and died in prison January of 2008