Here's why the Amber Alert was issued in Southern California

Added: 2026-05-27

[00:00:00]Right now, a desperate search is underway for a missing 5-year-old Los Angeles girl whose disappearance triggered an Amber Alert. It's our top story on the four. Hi everybody, I'm Anna Laurel.

[00:00:11]>> I'm Carlo Chetto. Police now say her father is wanted in connection with the murder of the child's mother. They believe he may have taken the little girl into Mexico. News8 Shannon Handy joins us live from Santa Cedro where the vehicle they were last seen in was found last night. Shannon?

[00:00:28]Yeah, Carlo and Anna, you likely got that Amber Alert on your phones last night. That's when it was issued. And shortly after, a security guard working at this parking garage, which is at the Lost America's Mall, right next to Pet West at the border, noticed the vehicle was inside the parking garage, and called police. So, let's take a look at a surveillance photo that was shared with News 8. It appears to show 5-year-old Delesa Frigoso and her father, 40-year-old Ruben Fragoso, walking out of the structure. Ruben is seen carrying a suitcase and wearing a black hat with gold stitching, a black vest over a white t-shirt, and light wash ripped jeans. The Lasa is wearing a blue long sleeve shirt and what looks like sweatpants. The two were last seen Sunday in Los Angeles, but the Amber Alert wasn't issued until yesterday after the child's mother was found dead inside her Arlington Heights home. Soon after the alert, officers got a hit on the 2019 white Land Rover they were in in the Balboa Park area. And then around 10:30, CHP dispatch audio indicated the vehicle had been found here in Santa Cro, but there was no sign of DeLaza or her father.

[00:01:36]>> Update on the Amber Alert with the white Land Rover Discovery Sport 915.

[00:01:45]Just be advised that the vehicle has been located 11:24.

[00:01:49]The child and suspect are still outstanding.

[00:01:54]>> And LAPD says they believe that Ruben killed the girl's mother before taking off with her. And they also said that he made statements indicating he had intended to leave the country. Dela, as you saw in that picture, she is just 5 years old. She is three feet tall with black hair and brown eyes. Ruben is 5 foot nine, about 200 pounds, also with black hair and brown eyes. Police of course are asking anyone with information to call 911, but they are warning the public do not approach Reuben because he is considered armed and dangerous. And Carlo, just a really such a scary situation for this little girl, Shannon, any idea how her mother died or even what the motive in this case is?

[00:02:37]>> No. LAPD will only say that they went to the home to do a welfare check and they say that the mother was dead from what appears to be quote violence, but they did not give us any details. They also will not say what the motive is in this case. And if you notice, Anna, in that Amber Alert last night, in the description, it said that this little girl is in imminent danger. And at the time when we got that alert, we did not know the circumstances surrounding her mother's death. So now it's clear why police say she is in imminent danger because they believe her father killed her mother before taking her.

[00:03:12]>> Can only hope that she's okay and they find her soon. Shannon Handy reporting for us. Thanks Shannon.