With National Missing Persons Day on the horizon, the search for 5-year-old Athena Lee and her 3-year-old brother Mateo intensifies. The FBI, alongside Sacramento Police, have ramped up efforts to find the children who vanished following their mother's death in 2024. Their father, Camron Lee, is wanted for alleged involvement in the murder and is believed to possibly have fled to Mexico. As reported by ABC10, the FBI has announced a $50,000 reward for information that could lead to Lee's arrest and the children's safe return.
Ahead of Mateo's fourth birthday, their grandmother Dawn Bodea continues to advocate for their discovery. "One thing that I think about a lot is I don't want time to just go on and people forget about them," Bodea told ABC10, underscoring the urgency of their situation while simultaneously mourning her daughter's loss. Investigators and the family hold out hope, urging the public to remain vigilant in spotting the siblings, described as bold and dinosaur-loving, with Mateo seldom seen without his beloved basketball.
The currently quiet case leaves the family grappling with an indescribable emptiness. "Things are just a lot quieter now. We just miss them a lot. Our life is not as full; it seems more empty without them," said Bodea in an interview with KCRA. While Sacramento Police have labeled the case complex, citing difficulties due to the fact that the alleged murder suspect was also the children's custodial parent, thus delaying a kidnapping charge, their focus remains on recovering Athena and Mateo.
The family has taken to social media, hoping someone out there may recognize the children. Despite facing the grim milestone of the children's disappearance alongside the charges against Camron Lee, including murder and unlawful flight to avoid prosecution, Bodea holds on to the possibility of a breakthrough. "I just really hope that if anybody does see—even if they think—that looks like it could be them, you know, just report it," Bodea implored in remarks obtained by KCRA.
As law enforcement invites tips from across borders, the unified message to the public remains: keep watch and report anything that could aid in the safe recovery of Athena and Mateo Lee.
