( FREMONT POLICE DEPT)
In a tragic turn of events, a missing 3-year-old girl from California’s Bay Area was found dead shortly after her father’s death, authorities reported. Ellie Lorenzo was reported missing by her mother, Chrystal Obi, on July 12 in Fremont, California. This came after Obi learned that the girl’s father had been found dead in a “nearby city,” according to a Facebook post from the Fremont Police Department.
The parents had a custody agreement, and Ellie was supposed to be returned to her mother that night after spending time with her father. Fremont Police Sgt. Kim McDonald explained, “The mother of the child got the news that the father was deceased in San Francisco and the child was not with him at that time,” per CBS News.
“The Fremont police department went to his apartment in Fremont, and the child was not located there.” Ellie was tragically found dead on July 13 at a recycling facility in San Jose. Police are currently treating her death as a homicide, although the circumstances remain under investigation, according to CBS News, SFGate, and NBC Bay Area. Details surrounding the death of Ellie’s father, whose name has not been disclosed by the police, have also not been released.
Ellie’s mother, Chrystal Obi, expressed her profound grief and heartbreak to NBC Bay Area after learning of her daughter’s death. She described Ellie as having a “smart and curious mind, her big smile, and her warm loving heart.” “Ellie’s life was full of so many people who loved her so much and will miss her beyond words can explain,” Obi added.
The community has been shaken by the loss of the young girl, and authorities continue to investigate both deaths. The tragic events have left many searching for answers and mourning the loss of a bright and loving child whose life was cut short far too soon.
