LEE COUNTY, Fla. -- Four days after going missing from her San Carlos Park home, an Amber Alert was issued for 9-year-old Diana Alvarez and has led to multiple tips from all over regarding the missing child.. Authorities are now searching for a former roommate of the family.
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement believes Diana is in the company of 28-year-old Jorge Guerrero. He has ties to the Orange County and Okeechobee area and was believed to be driving a tan Chevy Malibu with Florida tag number 78NHD.
That vehicle was located Thursday afternoon at an undisclosed location, without Alvarez or Guerrero."This is the first good news I've heard right now since Sunday. Thank you. Finally these guys listen to me, because I was waiting for this alert all these days," Jimenez said.
Friday, Fox 4 spoke with the family, who believes Guerrero may be trying to take her out of the country. The family has been receiving tips from all over the country. Some said they saw her in central Florida. Others reported sightings as far as Texas. "They called to tell me that a person was on the way out of the country, and my girl was wearing glasses, dark glasses. And he was asking for money for gas," said Diana's stepfather, Uribe Jimenez.
Diana's biological father lives in Mexico. Fox 4 reached out to Walt Zalisko, a private investigator and retired police chief, for insight into the case. He suspects the father may have wanted the child.
Guerrero is described as 5' 5" tall, 145 pounds with black hair and brown eyes.
Jimenez said they last saw Guerrero a week ago when he came to the home to pick up some of his belongings.
When Diana mysteriously disappeared, her parents reached out to Guerrero multiple times, and when he finally answered, he said he was in Orlando and didn't know where Diana was.
"I don't have an idea where he's at right now, but that's what I want to know. Where's he at?" Jimenez said. "I don't have any idea why that guy would take my daughter."
Diana's cousin, Nancy Martinez, said Guerrero was quiet and reserved, but took a liking to Diana. "He did try to hold some type of close relationship with Diana, which the mother didn't see fit, at which point she confronted him and he moved out," Martinez said.
Diana Alvarez was last seen early Sunday morning in her home on Unique Circle. Several law enforcement agencies have been working hard since then to find the girl.
Wednesday, the Lee County Sheriff's Office said they have no evidence that Diana is still in the area.
MORE: Family desperate for answers, gives us glimpse into Diana's life
Tuesday, Diana's family told Fox 4 that they believed she was taken by somebody known to the family, since their dog did not bark during the time she disappeared. Guerrero lived with the family briefly, and moved out a month ago.
A $4,000 reward is being offered for information that leads to an arrest in this case.
