Sep 22, 2007 12:52 pm US/Mountain
Police Arrest Denver Mother In Missing Child Case
Police Search For Child's Body
by Karlyn Tilley
DENVER (CBS4) ―
-
-
Miriam Gallegos speaks with Denver police officers on Friday afternoon
CBS
-
-
Suspect and mother of the missing child, Miriam Gallegos
CBS4
-
-
Missing Child Nevaeh Gallegos
CBS4
-
-
Suspect Angel Ray Montoya
CBS4
Denver police arrested the mother of a missing 3-year-old girl on Saturday. The mother, Miriam Gallegos, is being investigated as an accessory to her child's possible murder.
The child, Neveah Gallegos, was originally reported kidnapped by her mother Friday afternoon.
Police investigated the mother's story and said they believe Neveah was the victim of foul play.
Police officers were searching for the child's body on Saturday. They believe she might have been placed in a large plastic bag and then disposed of somewhere in the Capitol Hill area.
Police expanded the search on Saturday afternoon to the Platte River shorelines. Denver fire crews helped search the shorelines from the Broncos bridge at Invesco Field at Mile High to 30th Avenue.
The police incident started on Friday afternoon when the 20-year-old mother told officers that two men took her child at 11th and Cherokee St. at about 3 p.m. An amber alert was issued but was suddenly canceled as officers began to suspect foul play.
Police then issued an arrest warrant for suspect Angel Ray Montoya and held a press conference asking for the public's help in finding the suspect.
Montoya was arrested on Friday at E. 13th Avenue and Lincoln Street at about 8 p.m. He is facing a tentative charge of first degree murder.
The relationship between Montoya and the mother has not been verified by police.
Montoya is a registered sex offender and records showed he also has an extensive criminal past.
• In 2000, he was arrested for indecent exposure.
• Five years later, he was arrested for felony child abuse and kidnapping.
• Earlier this year, Montoya was arrested again for child abuse, this time a misdemeanor.
Neveah was last seen alive in the area of 1200 Logan Street. She has short brown hair, brown eyes. She is approximately 40 lbs and 3-foot-6. She was wearing a red, long sleeve shirt with an elephant on the front. She also was wearing red sweatpants and pink shoes.
Denver police are asking anyone with any information to call their office at (720) 913-2000.
(© MMVII CBS Television Stations, Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
Click to enlarge
Click to enlarge
Click to enlarge
Click to enlarge
Stumble It!
Comments