SACRAMENTO, California — Police are searching for 22-year-old Alexander Echeverria of South Sacramento as a person of interest after his infant daughter was found by a dumpster in Los Angeles, sheriff's officials confirm.
Alexander was last seen with his daughter, 8-month-old Alexia Rose Echeverria, last Friday driving a gray 2014 Volkswagen Jetta in Los Angeles. (The license plate number is 7FFT866).
Alexia's mother, Karla Alvarado, told ABC10 that she reported both the little girl and Alexander missing. She said Alexander initially told her he was going to Southern California to help his brother get out of trouble, she now says she believes that story was a lie.
"I don't know why, but I had a feeling he was lying to me," Alvarado explained. "So, I added his brother on Snapchat and I saw he made a post — he made two posts — from an hour ago and he was perfectly fine."
Alvarado said she tried calling Alexander to confront him, but she said the conversation was short. After asking where her daughter was, Alvarado said Alexander turned the camera toward the car, and said "Look, she's in there."
"I said bring her out or go in there," Alvarado recalled. "He didn't do it. He hung up on me."
After Alvarado reported them both missing, she met with police. They asked her what color the car seat was and what blanket she had on that day. Alvarado said police showed her pictures of a car seat and blanket asking if they were the ones her daughter used.
"It was my baby. They were covering her face, but she was leaning against like a wall," Alvarado explained. "I was thinking, 'Oh, it was just a car seat.' Soon after they showed me those pictures, he told me. I know it was her, because I knew it was her blanket. It was her blanket. It was her car seat. I knew it was my baby."
Alvarado wants to know why her daughter was taken and why she was killed. But until then, she said she just hopes her daughter is in a better place and knows she is loved by so many.
"I miss her and I hope she's OK and she didn't suffer," Alvarado said. "I hope she didn't feel no pain and I'm sorry I wasn't there to protect her."
Alvarado told ABC10 that she was recently began planning her daughter's baptism, but since finding out Monday that her daughter died, she's been busy picking out a space in a cemetery.
"She was so beautiful," Alvarado said. "She was perfect. Before I had her, I would tell my family I picture her with really big eyes, big eyelashes, and big cheeks. She ended up just like how I pictured her."
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