SALINAS, Calif. — California authorities are searching for a 14-year-old girl named in a statewide Amber Alert and believed to be traveling with her father after a newborn was found dead along a Monterey County road last month — a case prosecutors say centers on alleged abuse of the teen, not a settled charging decision against her.

On Monday, Sept. 7, 2026, Monterey County District Attorney Jeannine M. Pacioni issued a clarification as the alert remained active: the District Attorney’s Office “has not received a filing request for criminal charges against the 14-year-old,” has not received investigative reports from law enforcement on her for charging, and therefore “has not made any charging decision” regarding the girl. Pacioni said the office has filed criminal charges against the teen’s biological father, Sergio Galvez Perez, for sexually assaulting his own child, and is seeking a warrant for his arrest.

“We recognize that the 14-year-old is a victim of her father’s abuse. No child should ever have to endure such horrific circumstances,” Pacioni’s office said in the Monday statement. “Our priority is to ensure that this young girl is safe and has access to the support and services she needs.”

Amber Alert after Salinas surveillance

The California Highway Patrol activated an Amber Alert on Sunday, Sept. 6, on behalf of the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office for Diana Galvez Ortega, 14, who authorities say is believed to be with Perez, 38, of the Castroville/Salinas area. Law enforcement has publicly named her in the alert. News outlets including the Los Angeles Times and NewsNation report that investigators emphasize she is a victim whose safety is the priority.

According to the Sheriff’s Office and CHP accounts of the alert, detectives recently located surveillance video showing Perez and Diana together in a white Nissan Altima with no license plates near Constitution Boulevard and Laurel Drive in Salinas. The pair were last seen in that area about 2 a.m. on Aug. 4, 2026. The Sheriff’s Office said the footage supplied vehicle information that had not been available and confirmed they were together at that time — the trigger for requesting the Amber Alert after earlier uncertainty about whether they were traveling together or whether the teen was safe.

“Our immediate priority is to locate her and ensure she is safe,” the Sheriff’s Office said in statements carried by local outlets including The Pajaronian. “We want to make sure her well-being is addressed and that she receives any medical care she may need.”

The alert covered Monterey, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Ventura, Kern, Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Riverside, San Diego, Orange, and Imperial counties. Diana is described as about 4 feet 10 inches tall and 100 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes. Perez is described as about 5 feet 5 inches tall and 170 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes. Authorities tell the public: if you see Perez, Diana, or a matching white Nissan Altima with no plates, do not approach — call 911 immediately.

Baby Angelita and the charges against the father

The search is tied to the Aug. 1, 2026, discovery of a newborn whom investigators call “Baby Angelita” in the 100 block of Struve Road in north Monterey County, near Moss Landing. A forensic examination showed signs of traumatic injury, according to the Sheriff’s Office accounts reported by NewsNation and others. Authorities have said Perez is the biological father of both the 14-year-old and the infant.

Perez is wanted on felony allegations that, across Sheriff’s Office and prosecutor statements, include incest, lewd or lascivious acts with a child, unlawful sexual intercourse, child concealment, and child endangerment. Pacioni’s Monday release said the filed charge of child molestation is a serious and violent felony under California law, a strike under the Three Strikes law, and would require sex offender registration upon conviction. She called on him to turn himself in.

Earlier reporting had noted that the Sheriff’s Office obtained a Ramey warrant and previously described the teen as sought in connection with the infant’s death. Pacioni’s clarification stressed that a Ramey warrant is sought by law enforcement through the court and is not reviewed or approved in advance by the District Attorney’s Office — and that only the DA decides whether criminal charges are filed. As of Monday’s statement, no DA filing request had been received against the 14-year-old.

The DA’s Office also said it is reviewing potential charges involving the 14-year-old’s mother that are unrelated to the infant’s death and unrelated to the sexual assault allegedly committed by Perez; prosecutors declined further comment while that review continues. Local coverage, including KSBW, has identified the mother as Ofelia Garcia Ortega in connection with a child-endangerment arrest and bail release earlier in the investigation.

Tips

Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Perez or Diana Galvez Ortega should call 911. The Monterey County Sheriff’s Office has also listed Det. Sgt. Nicholas Kennedy at (831) 755-3773 and Det. Richard Geng at (831) 759-7279. Information can be provided anonymously, authorities said.

Dated Monday, Sept. 7, 2026: the Amber Alert remains the public call to locate a missing 14-year-old authorities describe as a victim of alleged abuse by her father, while Monterey County prosecutors say they have charged Perez with child sex crimes and have not received a filing request to charge the teen.

Sources