A Sacramento-area mother and her 8-month-old daughter have been missing for nearly a month, and new details about an outstanding warrant have cast their disappearance in a different light. Whisper Owen, 36, of Elk Grove left for what should have been a routine pediatric appointment in Fresno on July 15, but she and baby Sandra McCarty never made it home.
According to CNN, Owen's brother Richard last saw his sister around 2:45 p.m. on July 15 in Fresno after the baby's doctor appointment. She returned to her mother's house where they had lunch and played with the baby before leaving around 5 p.m., hoping to get home to Elk Grove before dark.
The case took a significant turn when newly obtained surveillance footage showed Owen's vehicle in Waterford—much farther north than previously thought—with a broken headlight, as reported by KCRA. Investigators now believe Owen and her baby made it to Waterford and then traveled on Highway 120, east of Escalon, roughly 50 miles north of Atwater in Merced County, where their SUV was previously reported as last spotted.
Outstanding Warrant Revealed
The investigation shifted dramatically when KCRA 3 Investigates confirmed with the Sacramento County District Attorney's Office that Owen had an outstanding warrant tied to a 2020 child abuse case. The District Attorney's office said Owen pleaded no contest to felony child abuse in 2021 and was ordered to complete a work project, which she never did, leading to the warrant's issuance.
Owen's family suggested she might have taken backroads to avoid being pulled over due to her broken headlight and the warrant for her arrest, according to KCRA. The broken headlight would have made her vehicle more conspicuous to law enforcement.
Family's Desperate Search
Owen is described as an outspoken and outgoing "free spirit" who cherishes her children, according to CNN. She has a 17-year-old from a previous relationship as well as an 8- and 3-year-old with her partner, making her prolonged absence highly unusual for the family.
The family's concern is heightened by Owen's health issues. As reported by CNN, Owen suffers from high blood pressure that has been particularly severe since she gave birth, and she was hospitalized multiple times during the pregnancy. "My fear is that maybe there was a medical emergency behind the wheel, and maybe she had veered off the road," her brother told the news outlet.
Due to a miscommunication, the family didn't realize she was missing for three days, according to CNN. Owen's partner Robert McCarty initially assumed she had stayed with family in Fresno, as this wasn't unusual behavior.
Search Efforts Continue
Search teams have expanded their efforts along the Highway 120 corridor. KCRA reports that a sheriff's team searched a canal running across Highway 120 near Escalon on Friday but did not find anything. The investigation has involved multiple agencies and jurisdictions as the potential search area has grown.
Owen and her baby have now been missing for 27 days, according to KCRA. Investigators are urging anyone with information about Owen's distinctive silver 2006 Chevrolet Trailblazer with front-end damage to contact authorities immediately.
Authorities urge anyone with information about Whisper Owen and Sandra McCarty to contact the Fresno Police Department at (559) 621-7000. Owen is described as 5'6", 145 pounds, with red/brown medium-length hair and blue eyes, last seen wearing a white tank top and ripped blue jeans.
