‘The worst thing’: FBI, Utah mom seek help in locating teen who went missing in Mexico City

Tim Vandenack, KSL.com

SALT LAKE CITY (KSL.com) — All Alma Soreque wanted was for her daughter, Elizabeth Gonzalez, to study astir her Mexican roots, astir Mexican culture.

So nan 14-year-old Ogden girl, a U.S. national who vanished seventh people successful May, traveled successful mid-June to Mexico City to walk nan summertime astatine her grandmother’s house. But she went missing on pinch 2 younger cousins from her grandmother’s Mexico City vicinity connected June 30, and now Soreque — a Mexican transplant to Ogden — is pleading for thief from nan nationalist to find her, aided by nan FBI and Mexican authorities.

“Elizabeth, my daughter, I emotion you. We miss you truthful much. We’re not going to extremity looking for you,” Soreque said Wednesday successful a gathering pinch reporters astatine nan FBI section agency successful Salt Lake City. Though surviving successful Ogden, Elizabeth had been attending Roy Junior High.

Steven Hymas, an FBI typical agent, besides addressed reporters, hoping to bring broader attraction to nan lawsuit truthful that someone location whitethorn person a scrap of accusation that tin thief successful locating Elizabeth. FBI and different U.S. officials based successful Mexico City are moving pinch their Mexican counterparts arsenic portion of nan investigation.

“We don’t person immoderate logic to judge that she is not successful nan state of Mexico astatine this moment,” said Hymas, dubbing nan matter an “investigation of a missing girl.” “That said, we do judge that location will beryllium group present who cognize information. Maybe they person reached retired to friends aliases acquaintances aliases different family members who mightiness cognize thing that tin thief america out.”

Alma Soreque, mother of Elizabeth Gonzalez, speaks astir nan disappearance of her girl astatine nan FBI Field Office successful Salt Lake City connected Wednesday, July 10, 2024. | Tim Vandenack, KSL.com

Moreover, Hymas noted nan omnipresence of physics connection successful this time and age. Even if personification is kidnapped aliases goes missing, he said, “If they tin pass pinch others, they will try.”

Anyone pinch accusation tin scope retired to nan FBI section agency successful Salt Lake City astatine 801-579-1400, different FBI offices or, if abroad, nan nearest U.S. embassy aliases consulate. Tips whitethorn beryllium submitted online astatine tips.fbi.gov.

The FBI said Elizabeth had been pinch her 2 young cousins, Mexican citizens, erstwhile she went missing and that notices from nan Mexican Amber Alert system for each 3 of them stay progressive successful Mexico. The alerts place nan 2 different girls arsenic Sofia Mailen Moreno Zamora, 6, and Regina Moreno Zamora, 4.

“While nan FBI is not nan investigative authority regarding Elizabeth’s cousins, we are moving pinch our partners to find them arsenic we judge they are each together,” sounds an FBI connection issued Thursday.

The image shows an FBI missing personification flier for Elizabeth Gonzalez, of Ogden, who went missing successful Mexico City connected June 30 while visiting her grandmother. | Salt Lake City FBI Field Office

Soreque said she had spoken pinch her girl earlier successful nan time she went missing. Elizabeth had traveled unsocial to Mexico City connected June 15 and was to stay location until Aug. 7.

“We conscionable talked astir really she slept and past she said, ‘Grandma is getting meal fresh for us,'” Soreque said.

Later, Soreque said, her girl went to a vicinity shop successful nan Azcapotzalco conception of Mexico City, wherever her grandma — Soreque’s mother — lives, to get a soda. Soreque grew up location and described nan organization arsenic having a “small town” feel, moreover if it’s located wrong nan expansive Mexico City metropolis.

From there, things are cloudy. “There’s surveillance video of (Elizabeth) getting into a taxi. We judge she was manipulated by an big to get into that taxi, and we person not seen her since,” Hymas said.

Later, Soreque received connection that her girl ne'er returned to her grandmother’s location and almost instantly reached retired to authorities. “Horrible — it is nan worst point that a mom wants to hear,” she said.

Soreque described Elizabeth arsenic smart, talented and compassionate and said of nan forces that brought her from Mexico to nan United States. Soreque besides has a boy and different daughter, while Hymas said Elizabeth’s begetter “has not been a portion of her life.”

“You cognize everything we do arsenic Hispanics is to hunt retired a amended life for our children, truthful they person amended opportunities successful life. I’m 1 of those mothers,” Soreque said. “I came to nan United States looking for a amended life for them.”

That said, Soreque besides noted nan continuing relationship to Mexico for those who time off nan state and nan dream parents for illustration her person of imparting nan civilization to their kids.

“Obviously, we miss our country. We miss our culture, and our dream is that our kids tin acquisition what we love,” she said. With nan move of events connected June 30, though, she’s “living done 1 of nan worst nightmares not knowing wherever she is.”

The business is taking a toll connected her different kids arsenic well.

“We are having a difficult clip not knowing astir you. We request you to cognize that you are very important to america successful nan family. Your sister misses you. Your relative misses you. I emotion you,” she said. “I conscionable believe time and nighttime to cognize thing astir you, wherever you are, if you’re doing OK.”