A South San Diego mother says she was left to hunt for her missing 15-year-old son on her own, and is now questioning how police handled the case after the boy was found dead in a nearby park pond the next morning.
Julian Guerrero was reported missing on May 14 and his body was recovered the morning of May 15 from Fenton Pond at Otay Valley Regional Park, according to ABC 10News. The Medical Examiner later positively identified the teen, and ABC 10News reports the family scheduled a funeral for May 16 at Funeraria del Angel Chula Vista and set up a GoFundMe to help cover expenses.
Family says she led officers to the pond
Relatives told reporters that a homeless man riding Julian’s bicycle tipped off the teen’s mother to the area where his body was eventually found, and that she then directed officers to the pond, according to NBC 7 San Diego. Family members said Julian was autistic, took medication and did not know the area. Neighbors who joined the search told NBC 7 San Diego the mother was shown a recovery photo and fainted at the scene.
What the police say
In a statement to ABC 10News, the San Diego Police Department said, "Our hearts go out to Julian’s family for their loss." The department said the case is not being treated as a homicide and is being handled by the Medical Examiner’s Office, adding that based on the information officers received, the initial response treated Julian as a runaway juvenile while locations he frequents were checked.
Why an AMBER Alert may not have been issued
The California Highway Patrol coordinates AMBER Alerts and notes they are reserved for confirmed abductions in which the child is believed to be in imminent danger and there is information that could assist in recovery. According to the California Highway Patrol, local agencies must first confirm an abduction and meet statutory criteria before requesting activation of the Emergency Alert System.
What's next
San Diego Fire-Rescue divers recovered the body from the pond and the Medical Examiner's Office is now handling identification and cause-of-death determinations, NBC 7 San Diego reported. Authorities have not released a cause of death, and family members say they want a full accounting of the timeline and response as they make funeral arrangements.
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