Orange County District Attorney's Office
FULLERTON - A father has been arrested on a warrant for the abduction of his 2 and 4-year-old son from outside of the Anaheim home where they lived with their mother. A warrant is still outstanding for the victims' grandfather, and law enforcement is seeking the public's help in locating him and the children. Abraham Fernandez, 23, Houston, was arrested on an Orange County warrant yesterday, Oct. 25, 2010, in Houston. He is charged with two felony counts of kidnapping and two felony counts of child abduction and faces a maximum sentence of nine years and eight months in state prison if convicted. Abraham Fernandez is being held on $1 million bail and will face an extradition hearing in Harris County, TX, tomorrow, Wednesday, Oct. 27, 2010.
Co-defendants Louis Mendoza Fernandez, 52, Houston, David Daniel Nicholas, 26, Monrovia, and Linda Fernandez, 29, Monrovia, are also charged with two felony counts of kidnapping and two felony counts of child abduction. If convicted, they face a maximum sentence of nine years and eight months in state prison. Louis Fernandez is the father of Abraham Fernandez and has a $1 million warrant for his arrest.
Nicholas is being held on $500,000 bail and Linda Fernandez is being held on $50,000 bail. They are scheduled for a preliminary hearing today, Tuesday, Oct. 26, 2010, at 9:30 a.m. in Department N-15, North Justice Center, Fullerton.
Abraham Fernandez has two sons with his former live-in girlfriend, from whom he is estranged. Approximately one year ago, Abraham Fernandez's former girlfriend moved to Anaheim from Texas with the two boys, 4-year-old John Doe #1 and 2-year-old John Doe #2.
At approximately 7:45 p.m. on Oct. 7, 2010, the two victims were in an alley with their mother near their apartment. Abraham Fernandez and his father Louis Fernandez are accused of driving into the alley in a silver Dodge Caravan and quickly stopping the car. Louis Fernandez, who had been driving, is accused of getting out of the vehicle and grabbing John Doe #1, who was standing next to his mother. Louis Fernandez is accused of putting the victim in the back of the van using the sliding side door.
Abraham Fernandez is accused of then getting out of the van and taking John Doe #2 from his screaming mother's arms. The defendants are accused of getting back into the vehicle and speeding in reverse out of the alley as they fled the scene. Witnesses called 911 and the Anaheim Police Department responded to the scene. An AMBER Alert was immediately issued for the silver van.
After the kidnapping, the defendants are accused of driving to Monrovia to hide at a relative's home. Nicholas and his wife Linda Fernandez, Abraham Fernandez's cousin, are accused of harboring the defendants at their Monrovia home knowing that the children had been illegally abducted and were being sought by police.
Nicholas is also accused of assisting in the child abduction by renting the van for Abraham and Louis Fernandez to use in the kidnapping. Early on the morning of Oct. 8, 2010, Nicholas is accused of returning the rented van to Ontario International Airport. Anaheim police officers contacted Nicholas that day after receiving information that the defendants and victims may be at his Monrovia home. Officers learned that the van had been returned and was no longer being used by the defendants.
Nicholas was arrested at his home on Oct. 10, 2010, for his role in the kidnapping. Linda Fernandez was arrested Oct. 11, 2010, at the home she shared with Nicholas for assisting the defendants after the abduction.
A $500,000 arrest warrant was issued Oct. 12, 2010, for Abraham and Louis Fernandez. Louis Fernandez is still a fugitive and is believed to still have the two children and may possibly be in Texas. The investigation is ongoing.
Anyone with additional information is encouraged to contact Supervising District Attorney Investigator Jaime Joyce at (714) 347-8560 or Anaheim Police Detective Daron Wyatt at (714) 765-1434.
Deputy District Attorney Jim Bacin of the Child Abduction Unit is prosecuting this case.
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