Latest news with #FresnoCountySheriff
CNN
2 days ago
- CNN
A Sacramento mother and her 8-month-old daughter have been missing for over 10 days
Authorities in central California are searching for a mother and her 8-month-old daughter, who haven't been seen in almost two weeks since departing Fresno to return to their home near Sacramento. Whisper Owen, 36, and her infant daughter Sandra McCarty were last seen on July 15, according to the Fresno County Sheriff's Office. 'The not knowing, it's brought me to a point where I'm — it's a cross between anger and numb,' Owen's mother, Vicki Torres, told CNN affiliate KCRA. 'I'm terrified. I'm just terrified.' The pair left Fresno, where KCRA reports they were visiting family, around 5 p.m. on the 15th, according to the sheriff's office. A traffic camera last captured their vehicle, a silver 2006 Chevrolet Trailblazer, shortly after 8 p.m. in Atwater, around 66 miles north of Fresno, says the sheriff's office. Since then, neither has been seen – and no information has been uncovered to explain their disappearance, according to the sheriff's office. 'They were supposed to be heading home to Elk Grove (Sacramento County) where family members were expecting them,' said the sheriff's office in a post on Facebook. Elk Grove is around 158 miles north of Fresno. On July 19, four days after departing Fresno, Owen's partner contacted her family to ask if she was there, according to CNN affiliate KFSN. Her brother, Richard Owen, told the affiliate he had informed her partner that Whisper had left on Tuesday night — then Richard reported them missing to law enforcement. Torres, Owen's mother, told KCRA the two had a 'wonderful visit' in Fresno, where they attended a doctor's appointment for the baby. 'The only thing she had to do was stop and get a can of formula because she was on her last bottle,' Torres told KCRA. Owen 'didn't run away,' her mother said. She has a 'good home life' and three other children, Torres told KCRA. Torres told CNN affiliate KFSN her daughter doesn't have a working phone so she typically only speaks with her every few days. Family members are contributing to the desperate search for the pair, driving up and down the highway, according to KFSN. CNN has reached out to the Fresno County Sheriff's Office, the Fresno Police Department, and the Sacramento Police Department for more information. CNN's Lily Hautau and Jillian Sykes contributed to this report.
CNN
2 days ago
- CNN
A Sacramento mother and her 8-month-old daughter have been missing for over 10 days
Authorities in central California are searching for a mother and her 8-month-old daughter, who haven't been seen in almost two weeks since departing Fresno to return to their home near Sacramento. Whisper Owen, 36, and her infant daughter Sandra McCarty were last seen on July 15, according to the Fresno County Sheriff's Office. 'The not knowing, it's brought me to a point where I'm — it's a cross between anger and numb,' Owen's mother, Vicki Torres, told CNN affiliate KCRA. 'I'm terrified. I'm just terrified.' The pair left Fresno, where KCRA reports they were visiting family, around 5 p.m. on the 15th, according to the sheriff's office. A traffic camera last captured their vehicle, a silver 2006 Chevrolet Trailblazer, shortly after 8 p.m. in Atwater, around 66 miles north of Fresno, says the sheriff's office. Since then, neither has been seen – and no information has been uncovered to explain their disappearance, according to the sheriff's office. 'They were supposed to be heading home to Elk Grove (Sacramento County) where family members were expecting them,' said the sheriff's office in a post on Facebook. Elk Grove is around 158 miles north of Fresno. On July 19, four days after departing Fresno, Owen's partner contacted her family to ask if she was there, according to CNN affiliate KFSN. Her brother, Richard Owen, told the affiliate he had informed her partner that Whisper had left on Tuesday night — then Richard reported them missing to law enforcement. Torres, Owen's mother, told KCRA the two had a 'wonderful visit' in Fresno, where they attended a doctor's appointment for the baby. 'The only thing she had to do was stop and get a can of formula because she was on her last bottle,' Torres told KCRA. Owen 'didn't run away,' her mother said. She has a 'good home life' and three other children, Torres told KCRA. Torres told CNN affiliate KFSN her daughter doesn't have a working phone so she typically only speaks with her every few days. Family members are contributing to the desperate search for the pair, driving up and down the highway, according to KFSN. CNN has reached out to the Fresno County Sheriff's Office, the Fresno Police Department, and the Sacramento Police Department for more information. CNN's Lily Hautau and Jillian Sykes contributed to this report.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Yahoo
Mom and 8-Month-Old Daughter Disappear After Leaving Doctor's Appointment. They've Been Missing for Over a Week
Whisper Owen and her 8-month-old daughter Sandra McCarty were last seen driving in a silver 2006 Chevrolet Trailblazer A mother and her 8-month-old daughter have been missing for over a week. On Thursday, July 24, Fresno County Sheriff's Office confirmed in a press release that they were still looking for Whisper Owen, 36, and her daughter, 8-month-old Sandra McCarty, after they were last seen driving in a silver 2006 Chevrolet Trailblazer on Tuesday, July 15. At the time, the mother and daughter had left a doctor's appointment, according to Fox affiliate KMPH and ABC affiliate KFSN. They were then 'supposed to be heading home to Elk Grove (Sacramento County) where family members were expecting them,' authorities said in a statement. 'They were traveling in a silver 2006 Chevrolet Trailblazer with a CA license plate of 9LKH008. The SUV has damage to its driver's side headlight,' officials said, noting that the vehicle left Fresno on July 15 at around 5 p.m. local time. Police added that the vehicle was last captured on a traffic camera at around 8 p.m. local time in Atwater, near Shaffer and Bellevue. PEOPLE has contacted Fresno County Sheriff's Office for further to authorities, Owen is 5'6 and weighs 145 lbs. She also has blue eyes and brown hair. Sandra is described as 1'10, 17 lbs. with green eyes and brown hair. 'No information has been discovered to explain their disappearance,' authorities stated. Tiffaney Machado, a close friend of Owen's, told KMPH, "We haven't heard anything about it since, and we haven't heard from her" since Owen and her daughter disappeared. Machado added, "Her phone just goes straight to voicemail. We're really concerned about the baby. She's only eight months old." Owen's partner Robert McCarty and her two other children were reportedly waiting for her at home when she disappeared, according to the outlet. Because Owen often visited her family in Fresno and would sometimes spend multiple days there, Robert said they did not initially worry, KMPH reported. But by Saturday, July 19 — four days after the mother and daughter were last seen — the family filed a missing persons report. Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Both Robert and Machado have visited the Atwater Police Department to seek surveillance footage, and have also been putting up posters in the area, according to KMPH. The outlet reported that friends of Owen said she is a "loving, attentive mother," and that it's "completely out of character" for her to suddenly go missing. People are advised to contact the police if they see any sighting of Owen and her baby. Read the original article on People Solve the daily Crossword
CBS News
6 days ago
- CBS News
California mother, 8-month-old daughter missing for over a week, last seen in Fresno
Authorities in the Central Valley are seeking information after a Sacramento County woman and her infant daughter went missing more than a week ago. According to the Fresno County Sheriff's Office, 36-year-old Whisper Owen of Elk Grove was last seen with her daughter, 8-month-old Sandra McCarthy around 5 p.m. on July 15 in Fresno. Deputies said the pair were driving from Fresno to go back home and have not been seen since. Owen is described by deputies as 5'6" tall, weighing 145 pounds, with brown hair and blue eyes. McCarthy is about 22 inches tall, weighing 17 pounds, with brown hair and green eyes. Deputies said she may have been wearing a pink onesie at the time she was last seen. The pair are believed to be traveling in a silver 2006 Chevrolet Trailblazer SUV with California license plate number 9LKH008. The California Highway Patrol has issued an Endangered Missing Advisory in the case. Anyone who may see Owen or McCarthy is asked to call 911.
Daily Mail
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
California hiker who fell off cliff and survived three weeks in wilderness hit by shocking claim
A hiker who was found after falling off a cliff and surviving for three weeks in the California wilderness has been called out by skeptics who are questioning if she's telling the truth about her journey. Tiffany Slaton, 28, was reported missing by her family on April 29 after not hearing from her for nine days, the Fresno County Sheriff's Office said. The department then sent out several alerts about her disappearance and called on the public to look out for her, as one tip confirmed she was last seen at Huntington Lake on April 20. Slaton, of Jeffersonville, Georgia was on a solo trip through the Sierra Nevada when she said she suddenly became lost after falling off a cliff. After her fall, Slaton said she endured a treacherous three weeks before she was finally found on May 14. She was located inside a cabin at the Vermilion Valley Resort near Lake Edison, the sheriff's office said. Despite making it out of the situation alive, many are now wondering if Slaton's shocking survival journey is truthful and if her family's fundraising motives were created with the right intentions. 'I'm glad to see that other people don't believe this story. So many things don't add up, I hope this office investigates fully since resources were used,' one commenter said. 'Something's very off about the story. I don't believe her at all. I think she's just looking for fame or money,' wrote another. 'It's embarrassing to think people believe someone fell off a cliff, survived 2 hours unconscious (guess she was timing it), popped her knee back into place, and traveled 20 miles after splinting her leg,' another wrote. While many are unsure if the story is factual or fictional, a lot of people stood up for Slaton after she returned home. 'The kid went on an adventure with no reception. It's not her fault search and rescue crews didn't listen to the family and found her weeks later,' someone said. Another stated: 'Tiffany is a true survivor and fighter to the end. Sounds like a movie in the making.' After falling from a cliff, Slaton said she was unable to return to the main road because she was then hit by an avalanche, causing her to fall unconscious for two hours. When she finally woke up, she realized she injured herself and went on to splint one of her legs and pop her knee back into place, she recalled. She then proceeded on her journey, where she made it through 13 snowstorms, two landslides, had to eat wild leeks, boil snow melt for drinking water, and also got her tent, electric bike, phone and two sleeping bags stolen, according to the hiker. She also recalled being unable to contact 911 but was somehow able to get GPS information from a Starbucks location, leaving skeptics even more confused. 'I eventually got mad at my GPS and decided to ask, "Well, where is the nearest Starbucks?",' she said at the news conference. 'It was like, "Oh, well, we can answer that question. It's 18 miles from here".' A GoFundMe page set up by her parents was officially shut down on Monday after an influx of speculation crowded the family. 'The donations feature is closed but kind words are welcomed,' the page read. Her parents still noted that the family is 'in need of financial help for any and all expenses while we are in California.' Slaton's father, Bobby Slaton, previously called out the skeptics on the donation page, writing: 'Believe it or not, we even thank those who have questioned the merit of the events — That is what makes miracles so unbelievable.' Online users aren't the only ones who don't quite understand Slaton's story, as Howie Schwartz, an experienced Sierra mountain guide, shared the same concerns. Schwartz told the Los Angeles Times he understands her getting lost in the wilderness, but the rest isn't quite adding up. 'It doesn't seem like a story you can really wrap your head around,' he said. 'Falling off a cliff, having to splint her leg. You don't splint your leg unless your leg is broken and if your leg is broken, you're not walking miles on it.' Schwartz was actually in the area guiding a five-day ski trip in the Mono Recesses in the Sierra while Slaton was missing. He told the outlet he recalled seeing helicopters searching for her at the time. The expert said the area still experienced late-season snow storms around this time of year, but the elevation near Huntington and Edison lakes is low enough that only rain would come down. Tony Botti, a spokesperson for the sheriff's department, told the outlet they still don't have a full understanding of what exactly happened to Slaton out in the wilderness. 'We can only work with the information she told us because there are no other independent witnesses,' Botti said. 'If there are inaccuracies or embellishments, we really can't do anything about it.' Meanwhile, Fresno County Sheriff John Zanoni praised Slaton for her 'incredible story of perseverance, determination and survival,' adding that it resembles 'something that you may see on TV that they would make movies about.' Christopher Gutierrez, the resort owner who found her taking refuge in the cabin, echoes Zanoni's response. 'She has stories, she could write a book. It's just unbelievable,' he said.
