After my parents go, its just me and my kids.. The boys were reported missing from their family's backyard in the desert town of California City on Dec. 21, 2020. Almost 15 months ago, Orrin and Orson West's adoptive parents told police the young boys disappeared from the family's Southern California yard, authorities said. As the community continues holding vigils, the family is reminding everyone they're in deep pain too. A request for comment from Charles Pettus attorney was not returned. "I realized that I left the back gate open and I panicked and came inside the house. and last updated 5:27 PM, Mar 02, 2022. That day, the other children were away visiting their grandparents . High near 70F. Winds WNW at 15 to 25 mph.. Overcast. There were numerous items from which Kim collected DNA such as toothbrushes, blankets, mattress pads, car seats and gardening tools which were once in the California City home of defendants Jacqueline and Trezell West. It says that the boys seemed "scared" and had lost weight and that Classic "had scratches on his face." "You were aggressive and confrontational with (Jacqueline West), correct?" At this point, Dean said she started seeing a change in her children. Sorry, there are no recent results for popular videos. Trezell and Jacqueline West have pleaded not guilty to second-degree murder, involuntary manslaughter and other charges in the deaths of Orrin and Orson West. McCoy said he based the request for $40 million on similar cases. Charles Pettus is the biological father of Orrin and Orson, whose birth names were Classic and Cincere.The boys were removed from their biological mothers home by Child Protective Services and adopted by Trezell and Jacqueline West in September 2020. All rights reserved. Orrin and Orson also had visitations with Dean when they were placed with the Wests. Other witnesses called to the stand included several Bakersfield Police officers and detectives charged with gathering evidence from wiretap phone calls and DNA profiles. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Get all the stories you need-to-know from the most powerful name in news delivered first thing every morning to your inbox. They lived with their adoptive parents, Trezell and Jacqueline West. They took my family, they took my kids away from me, my kids are my life, Pettus said. Orson was also taken away from Dean about 11 days after he was born, Dean added. Sorry, there are no recent results for popular videos. The family said it's been a difficult time for them learning that the. The address where the caller reported seeing the boys and the address given by Dean are roughly 2.5 miles apart, according to an online mapping website. "I went into the house, I came back out, I didn't see [them] there. The father has also expressed dismay at how the boys' blood relatives were made aware of the children's disappearances . "It is misguided to blame uncles and aunts and grandparents for children who are missing that we love and care about and are trying to find," Watkins said. Sun and clouds mixed. His parents didnt call for help, he told investigators, and instead discussed keeping Orrins death a secret. The Department of Social Services said it could not comment, and the human services department could not immediately be reached for comment. The agent testified the information was forwarded to Bakersfield police. High near 70F. The boys' biological family would like the children to be known by their birth names instead of the names given to them by their adoptive parents. Dean testified she lives in the Arlington, Texas area. Last month, adoptive parents Trazell and Jacqueline West were arrested on murder charges. "I feel my kids are somewhere around here," she told KBAK/KBFX. The child's father said that he gave the baby two baths and that nothing else had happened that day. In March 2019, Moorers request to have her grandchildren placed with her was denied, the claim said. Due to a paternity test done before the children were reported missing, investigators were able to gather DNA profiles for Orrin and Orson. Whether heading on a camping trip, putting up guests or creating more sleeping space for a kids slumber party, air mattresses are useful to have. Orson and Orrin West have been missing since Dec. 21. Story tips can be sent to yael.halon@fox.com. You can also follow her at @_ishanidesai on Twitter. 3 who had been renamed Orrin and Orson West had been playing in the backyard of their . Defense lawyers Timothy Hennessy and Victor Nasser, representing Trezell West, and Alekxia Torres Stallings and Fatima Rodriguez, representing Jacqueline West, will likely attack the credibility of the children and the techniques law enforcement used when interviewing them. The boys were removed from their biological mother's home by Child Protective Services and adopted by Trezell and Jacqueline West in September 2020. Dean was told at the hospital that Kern County Human Services would be taking the child and placing him with a foster family because hospital staff members believed he had been abused. Dean reported her concerns to the human services department, but no action was taken, the lawsuit says. Ryan Dean said she tried multiple times to regain custody of Cinsere and Classic Pettus but was denied. Ryan Dean, the biological mother of Orrin and Orson, was questioned by a defense attorney, Alekxia Torres Stallings, about whether she remembers an altercation between herself and Jacqueline West. After less than a year, the adoptive parents reported that the boys were missing from their backyard in the desert town of California City, according to the lawsuit. We hope that you continue to enjoy our free content. The agencys disregard of her concerns for the boys led to their deaths, according to the claim. Each child was 10 or younger at the time of their initial interviews. March 2, 2022 Updated 11:48 AM PT. You have permission to edit this article. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. This wide-ranging evidence was presented by a prosecutor Tuesday as he attempted to prove adoptive parents Trezell and Jacqueline West murdered their adoptive children Orrin, 4, and Orson, 3, West before the boys were reported missing from California City. Kern County District Attorney Cynthia Zimmer said during a March 2 news conference announcing the charges that the boys bodies have never been found. Despite Dean attending court hearings for her childrens dependency and attending her monitored visits to see her children, CPS removed Deans parental rights in December 2018, according to the claim. That reward, initially offered at $30,000 by extended members of the West family, has increased to $120,000 -- contributed by multiple parties. Activist glues palm to podium on live, Erdogan says Turkish forces killed IS chief in Syria, El Chapo sons charged with smuggling cheap fentanyl, UN agency suspends food aid to Ethiopias Tigray, Gwyneth Paltrow denied attorneys fees in ski crash, DA to again retry penalty phase for ex-deputy who, 1 arrested after vehicle pursuit, cocaine and gun, McCarthy underscores bipartisan US support in speech, Waste of time: Community college transfers hit, BestReviews.com - Top gifts to make everyone happy this spring, Surprise your mom with one of these Mothers Day, Mothers Day inspo: This foot massager has 20,000, Drew Barrymores Walmart collection is perfect for, Best Mothers Day gifts for the budding plant mom, Best Mothers Day Gifts for moms obsessed with books, Mental Health Mondays: Exercises for your brain, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Last week, an FBI agent, during cross-examination by Hennessy, confirmed a tip had been received from someone who reported seeing the boys in Arlington, Texas months after they were reported missing. The trial is set to resume Wednesday morning at 9:00. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. Speed. The brothers whose names were changed by their adoptive parents to Orrin and Orson West were reported missing in December 2020. Defense attorneys have argued authorities immediately focused on the Wests and failed to consider others including members of the boys biological family while conducting their investigation. This past December, Orrin and Orson's biological father, Charles Pettus, filed a lawsuit against Kern County, the county's child protective services agency, and the State of California,. He added the biological parents of Orrin and Orson didnt contribute to this DNA profile which suggests the toddlers didnt use this toothbrush. DNA swabs. I didnt know they even sent them out to other people.. The family has four other children, two of them also adopted, and all are in protective custody. Dean took the child to the emergency room, where she was informed that both of Cinsere's legs were broken. Kim also tested a second toothbrush and conducted a paternity test on the DNA to see which parent contributed to the DNA profile. Torres Stallings has previously remarked on a California City police officers lack of training in interviewing child witnesses. Winds WNW at 15 to 25 mph.. Overcast. Market data provided by Factset. West trial: DNA evidence presents mixed picture of Cal City boys' whereabouts, West trial: Biological mother of Cal City toddlers testifies, West trial: Witness recalls late September 2020 night, West trial: Prosecutor focuses on surveillance footage in murder trial of adoptive parents, Defense attorney targets interview of Cal City boys adoptive mother, West trial: Week 2 round-up of evidence from California City boys' adoptive parents' murder trial, Family of adoptive Cal City brothers grapples with one of their own facing murder charges, Adoptive mother of Cal City boys adamantly denies murder in video, Foster mother of 2 California City children testifies in murder trial, UPDATED: Cal City police chief testifies about defendant's demeanor, investigation into missing adoptive toddlers, Defense weaves doubt into Cal City police investigation of missing toddlers, The world is watching as Cal City murder trial unfolds, Defense attorney attacks officers police report about missing Cal City boys investigation, Video shows police confronting adoptive father over conflicting accounts of Cal City toddlers disappearance, Murder case against Cal City boys' adoptive parents to hinge on testimony from defendants other children, VIDEO: Christmas wonderland featuring the Grinch Mobile, Graphic Content: 2014 homicide of Abel Trujillo, Kern County Public Health Services Department, LOIS HENRY: 'Vibration' in Isabella Dam power plant causes temporary halt of Kern River outflows, Larry Hallum lifted people up through education, inspiration and love, Bakersfield doctor sentenced to 1 year, 1 day in prison for evading paying $300K in taxes, Chevron braces for possible flooding in Kern River Oil Field, LOIS HENRY: Kern River water heads north through flood channel but wont hit Tulare Lake yet, PHOTO GALLERY: Day 2 of ANRA season-opening weekend at Famoso Dragstrip, PHOTO GALLERY: April 22 racing at Bakersfield Speedway, PHOTO GALLERY: Day 1 of ANRA season-opening weekend at Famoso Dragstrip, PHOTO GALLERY: April 29 racing at Bakersfield Speedway, PHOTO GALLERY: Day 2 from ANRA season-opener at Famoso Dragstrip, PHOTO GALLERY: ARCA Menards Series West Event at KCRP, PHOTO GALLERY: NJBA Spring Fling boat racing at Lake Ming, PHOTO GALLERY: Day 2 of NJBA Spring Fling boat racing at Lake Ming, PHOTO GALLERY: Saturday night racing at Bakersfield Speedway. This comes 18 months after they were reported missing from the California City home of their adoptive parents, Jaqueline and Trezell West. Yael Halon is a reporter for Fox News Digital. [We] searched the house, me and my wife," Trezell West told Bakersfield ABC affiliate KERO on Dec. 23. He was told the boy had gone back to his grandmothers. Copyright 2023 KABC Television, LLC. From left, defense attorney Victor Nasser, defendant Trezell West, defense attorney Timothy Hennessy, defendant Jacqueline West and defense attorney Alekxia Torres Stallings listen as the prosecution delivers opening statements on March 28. Cinsere, then 3 months old, was removed from his mother's care in 2016 after Dean said she came home and found him "crying uncontrollably," according to the lawsuit, filed June 17, which alleges civil rights violation and wrongful death. While authorities said the brothers are dead, their bodies have not been found. Minyvonne Burkeis a senior breaking news reporter for NBC News. "They had no emotion on their face," Dean said of both adoptive parents, describing when she approached them to ask what happened. Unknown to Dean, CPS allowed Trezell and Jacqueline West to formally adopt the brothers in September 2020, the claim states. ", "Just knowing that they are handcuffed and they aren't leaving is a blessing," Rosanna Willis, a cousin to the missing boys, told KERO-TV. We hope that you continue to enjoy our free content. A huge search by law enforcement agencies and community members failed to find them. Kern County District Attorney Cynthia Zimmer holds a press conference with law enforcement leaders and prosecutors regarding missing California toddlers Orrin and Orson West, on Mar. Brothers Orson and Orrin West -- ages 3 and 4, respectively, were reported missing by their adoptive parents, Trezell and Jacqueline West. He heard the loud thump in the night never saw his brother again. But Smith argued that the boys died months before they were reported missing, in September 2020, and that for Orrin, at least, the death came while they still lived in Bakersfield. Thank you for reading! After reporting the missing toddlers to the California CityPolice, West alerted his community of their disappearance, gathering concerned neighbors and community members to join them in their search. The Wests reported the boys missing from their California City home three months later on Dec. 21, 2020. Other evidence showed the boys didn't contribute to the DNA left behind, according to Kim. However, Dean testified she didn't know her kids were adopted or that their names were changed. "We have not ruled anyone out," Walker said. The Wests reported Orrin and Orson were missing in December 2020. Zimmer alleged in the March news conference the boys were murdered three months prior to their adoptive parents reporting them missing. Orrin and Orson had been living with Trezell and Jacqueline West in California City at the time of their disappearance, according to the outlet. Alekxia Torres Stallings, attorney for Jacqueline West, walks between the defendants. Adamant testimony. For more details on the case and acloser look at some of today's most mysterious crime stories,join Fox Nationand watch"Crime Stories: Missing Boys.". Trezell and Jacqueline West both pleaded not guilty to a pair of second-degree murder charges, two counts of willful cruelty to children and a single misdemeanor count of falsely reporting an emergency in the deaths of the West boys. The missing boys lived with the Wests since 2018. Orson reportedly disappeared with his brother, Orrin West, from California City, California at 4:00 p.m. on December 21, 2020. She took foster parenting classes, obtained CPR certification and had a psychological evaluation, according to the claim. Jacqueline and Trezell West, the adoptive parents of Orrin and Orson West, sit in Kern County Superior Court at their arraignment March 3, 2022. "Right now there are people outside the home, talking about where are the boys," said West. When he returned the boys were gone. Positive Cases Among Kern Residents: 313,377, Recovered and Presumed Recovered Residents: 309,848, Percentage of all cases that are unvaccinated:70.85, Percentage of all hospitalizations that are unvaccinated:83.10, Source: Kern County Public Health Services Department. Orrin & Orson West, disappeared from California City, California at 4:00 p.m. on December 21, 2020. Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading. Smith has said jurors will hear from each of the four children, who were taken into protective custody. Closing arguments are expected to be given around mid-May. The biological mother of two California boys allegedly killed by their adoptive parents has filed a $40 million federal lawsuit against the state, county and those parents, claiming her sons were unlawfully taken from her care and killed. We want to shed light on this so this wont happen to any other family in Kern County, McCoy said. The biological mother and maternal grandmother of Orrin and Orson West two California City brothers who were adopted by a couple now facing murder charges in their deaths filed a. She confirmed she has . But defense attorneys told the court that police simply didnt conduct a proper investigation, that they only interviewed a handful of 41 registered sex offenders living in California City, that they didnt follow up on tip from a woman in Texas who said she saw the toddlers, and that they never explained surveillance video showing a vehicle leaving the area of the Wests home shortly before Trezell West called 911 to report the boys missing. However, there were mattress covers in which Orrin could not be excluded as the DNAs contributor or it was inconclusive if Orson left the DNA behind.

North Country Now Drug Bust, Swiss Basketball League Average Salary, Connotative Equivalence Example, How Do I Reset My Defiant Motion Security Light, The Secret Language Of Birthdays May 20, Articles O