A Carson family desperately searches for their 16-year-old missing daughter
A Carson family is desperately trying to find their 16-year-old daughter who has been missing since New Year's Day. They fear she is caught up in human trafficking.
The last image of Alinka Angeline Castaneda is a 5 a.m. security video, showing her standing outside her home, then being taken away in an unknown vehicle.
Former 30-year Los Angeles Police Detective Moses Castillo has been helping the family search for Alinka. "The family says when she walked off the driveway, she was wearing a hoodie and had nothing in her hands. No wallet, no cellphone, no backpack," said Castillo.
Two weeks after her disappearance, Alinka's mother Maricela Rosas said her younger daughter got a panicked phone call from Alinka. Police traced the call to an address in Venice. Then two hours later, she got another call from another burner phone.
Rosas said she heard from her daughter again in late February. Alinka told her she was at Union Station and would be home by 10 p.m., but that never happened.
The family searches, and posts missing person fliers but Alinka is still missing, and they don't believe she just ran away. They say Alinka is a quiet homebody.
"Where are you going to get fed? Showered? All the stuff you need to live day to day. Someone must be doing it. And it has all the makings of someone who is being forced into human trafficking," said Castillo.
The family says Alinka's room is kept exactly as is, waiting for her return. They want the FBI involved to start a nationwide search.
To report suspected human trafficking to law enforcement, call (866) 347-2423.
