May 27, 2026 — California authorities have launched an urgent search after new surveillance footage emerged suggesting a 5-year-old missing girl may have been taken to Mexico with a man suspected in her mother's violent death.
According to authorities, camera footage shows 40-year-old Ruben Fregoso with Daleyza Fregoso in the San Diego area around 7:30 AM on Sunday, just before investigators believe the two may have crossed the border into Mexico.
This development occurred just one day before Los Angeles police discovered the body of a woman inside a home in the South Los Angeles area during a welfare check.
Officers from the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) responded to the home on South Alsace Avenue around 12:30 PM on Monday after receiving a welfare concern report from a resident.
“Upon arrival, officers discovered an adult female deceased inside the residence,” the LAPD stated.
Preliminary investigation results indicate the victim died from violent trauma.
Hours later, the California Highway Patrol issued an Amber Alert for Daleyza Fregoso. Authorities initially misspelled her name as "Daleza" before correcting it.
Authorities have not publicly confirmed the relationship between Ruben Fregoso and Daleyza, despite them sharing a last name.
Investigators stated that Ruben Fregoso had previously made statements indicating an intent to leave the United States.
The white Land Rover believed to be involved in the incident was later found in San Ysidro — an area adjacent to the Mexico border in San Diego — but neither Ruben Fregoso nor the girl have been found.
Daleyza was last seen near the intersection of Alsace Avenue and Ferndale Street in the West Adams area of Los Angeles.
Video from the scene showed investigators removing the victim's body from the home on a gurney while a forensics van was parked outside.
Descriptions from authorities:
Ruben Fregoso is approximately 5 feet 9 inches tall, weighs nearly 200 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes.
Daleyza is approximately 3 feet tall, weighs around 45 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes.
Authorities have not released further new information about the case.
