SALT LAKE CITY — The FBI is asking for tips and information from the public as they search for a 14-year-old Ogden teenager who “disappeared” while visiting Mexico City.
Elizabeth “Ely” Gonzalez, was last seen on June 30 wearing dark blue jeans, a black hoodie and black and white Vans sneakers.
She is described as being 5’1″ tall, 140 pounds with brown hair and brown eyes.
Officials said she had been visiting her maternal grandmother in Mexico City when she disappeared.
Gonzalez’s mother, Alma Soreque, detailed that her daughter went to a store near the family home and never returned.
“We need her, we miss her so much every day, every night,” said Soreque. “To me is a nightmare not knowing where she is and how she is, If she’s eating, if she’s having the shelter or all the things that, that a girl needs.”
Fighting back tears on Wednesday, Soreque says she spoke to her daughter the day she went missing.
“We just talk about how she sleep and then, and then she says, oh my grandma is getting breakfast ready for, for us,” said Soreque.
Steven Hymas, a special agent with the FBI in Salt Lake says Gonzalez flew to Mexico City by herself on June 15th, before disappearing on June 30th.
“There’s surveillance video of her getting into a taxi,” Hymas said. “We believe she was manipulated by an adult to get into that taxi and we have not seen her since.”
She was reported missing the following day.
“There was an Amber Alert that was issued in Mexico and it went throughout the country, they stay active for a short period and then they are deactivated,” said Hymas.
He spoke about the challenges this kind of investigation can pose.
“When we are not there doing the investigation by ourselves, also not having the authority in Mexico to conduct investigative activity, we have to rely on our partners,” said Hymas.
Gonzalez, the middle sibling of three, recently completed seventh grade at Roy Junior High and was excited to start High School soon, her mother said.
“She’s a really talented girl, I trust her,” Soreque said. “She’s really smart, she’s a good person, she’s a compassionate girl.”
Soreque grew up in the small town in Mexico City where her daughter was last seen, living in the home where her mother still lives today,
“It is just a little town, it’s not a big place,” she explained. “It’s not like a huge urban area, it’s a small town – houses, church, cemetery.”
Towards the end of the press conference on Wednesday, Soreque looked directly into the camera and gave her daughter an emotional message.
“Elizabeth if you see this video interview you need to know that we love you. We are having a hard time not knowing about you. We need you to know you are very important to us in the family. You sister misses you, your brother misses you,” she said emotionally. “I love you, I’m praying day and night to know anything about you. Where you are and if you’re doing okay, where you’re at. Have you eaten? Have you slept? I want you to know I love and I will not stop looking for you. I will look for you, I will do anything I have to do until I find you.”
Her current location is unknown, but officials believe she is still in Mexico. Still, Hymas wants Utahns and others to be on alert if Gonzalez tries to make contact or communicate with someone.
“It becomes more difficult as time goes on, but not enough time has passed that we aren’t actively working this constantly,” Hymas said regarding the search. “In fact, we won’t ever stop, the FBI doesn’t stop looking for people ever, so it will remain active and we will continue investigating until we find her.”
The FBI asks that those with information that could be helpful in the case call 801-579-1400 or submit a tip online here.
“We’re working day and night,” Hymas explained, “Here in Utah and with our partners in Mexico City.”
