Florida Police Issue Alert For Missing 12-Year-Old Girl

Police in Bradenton, FL have issued an AMBER alert for a missing 12-year-old girl who they believe is in danger. The alert was issued for Margarita Aguilar-Lopez who was last seen in the 1700 block of 14th street in Bradenton wearing a white t-shirt and blue pants. She is described as a Hispanic girl, 4-feet 10-inches tall, weighing 65 pounds with black hair and brown eyes.

Authorities say the girl was likely abducted by Antonio Paulino-Perez, a 26-year-old Hispanic male, 5 feet 2 inches tall and 120 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes. He was reportedly wearing a white t-shirt and blue jeans and may have a scar on his forehead.

Margarita, along with two other younger children, were left in Paulino-Perez's care at a Bradenton motel while her two adult brothers went out Monday, April 25, 2005. Police say Margarita's brothers knew Paulino-Perez through a migrant work camp in Ruskin.  When Margarita's brothers returned, Margarita and Paulino-Perez were missing. The two younger children, ages 3 and 4, were found in the motel.

Police were at the motel around 10 p.m. to investigate an unrelated battery complaint, but the brothers did not mention that Margarita was missing until Tuesday morning.

Authorities said the men later told investigators that they were "too intoxicated and could not remember," to tell police their sister was missing, according to a news release.

Tokajer said the disturbance was not related to the abduction. The brothers were not under criminal investigation Tuesday night, the police major said.

The family members had been staying at the motel for about three days, police said. Bradenton police Chief Michael Radzilowski said investigators were not sure why the suspect was at the motel Monday night because he did not live there.

Authorities said it was the first time Margarita met the man. Her brothers had worked at the Ruskin camp for about two months.

Police on Tuesday were rounding up residents there to question them about the girl's disappearance.

A Bradenton girl, Amanda Capen, 9, said she thinks Paulino-Perez confronted her and a friend a couple days ago on a street near the budget motel, where a number of migrant workers live.

She says the man asked Amanda and a friend to come near him, but the girls refused and ran away.

Radzilowski said Margarita did not go to school in the area, and that her parents live in Mexico.

Police said the suspect, Margarita and her brothers are in the United States illegally.

They say Paulino-Perez has family members in Ruskin.

Tuesday night, Child Protective Service's investigators were with Rubino Aguilar's two children, who were at the police department.

Apr 27, 2005
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