Police say 21-year-old Yasmin Gonzalez Benitez's disappearance is out of character
Credit: santa anna police department
NEED TO KNOW
- Yasmin Gonzalez Benitez disappeared after telling her roommate she was taking a short trip to Tijuana
- Police say her disappearance is suspicious and out of character
- Investigators are struggling to verify conflicting information about her whereabouts and say her family has been uncooperative
A 21-year-old California mother has been reported missing after telling her roommate she was taking a short trip to Tijuana.
Yasmin Gonzalez Benitez was last seen on March 15, when she left her Santa Ana home in the 900 block of West Pine Street and said she would be back later that evening, according to the Santa Ana Police Department.
Before leaving, Gonzalez Benitez left her 4-year-old daughter in the care of her roommate. The child has since been placed with Child Protective Services.
As days passed without contact, the roommate became concerned. Police said both the roommate and investigators have been unable to reach Gonzalez Benitez since she left.
Authorities have also struggled to get answers from her family. “Unfortunately, our detectives made numerous attempts to contact Yasmin’s brother and mother, and they’re being very uncooperative,” Officer Natalie Garcia said, according to CBS.
Credit: santa anna police department
Investigators are now working to verify conflicting information about her possible whereabouts. Detectives have also not been able to verify whether she has a brother in Tijuana.
Police say her disappearance is out of character.
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“She would take her to preschool,” Garcia said. “She would come home. She would work, but she always had someone in the care of her daughter. She never left for more than a couple of days with the daughter, so this is very suspicious to us.”
Authorities are urging anyone with information about Gonzalez Benitez’s whereabouts to come forward as the search continues and to contact Investigator Jurado at (714) 245-8390 or via email at vjurado@santa-ana.org.
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