LEE COUNTY, Fla. -- A Southwest Florida family has a heartfelt plea for any information about their daughter, who is still missing from a Fort Myers home. 9-year-old Diana Alvares vanished from her home on Unique Circle in San Carlos Park, and was last seen Sunday at 2 AM.
Family members, law enforcement, and volunteer searchers have been pouring in and out of the neighborhood, and as day three begins, this search is based on few clues and a lot of hope.
A mobile command center has been set up in front of the Publix grocery store next to where Alvares lives. Several agencies have a presence there, and buses are being used to transport search volunteers to different areas.
Uribe Jimenez, the stepfather, says he took and passed a lie detector test given to him by the Lee County Sheriff's Office. He says he, along with family and friends, will begin searching Tuesday starting at 11 AM.
Diana's father has been crying for her to return home. "If somebody have my daughter, Diana, if you see this, please let me know where you are. I'm trying to look for you everywhere."
Friends of the family are also aiding Diana's father and pregnant mother, who doesn't speak English, in the search that's spanned over 36 hours. "She's very worried. She hasn't seen her daughter, she doesn't know what's going on, they wont let her know anything, she just wants her daughter to be found," said the mother's translator.
In trying to find her, they've looked through woods near the family's home, nearby gas stations and grocery stores. The Lee County Sheriff's Office has sent out mass text messages to parents with kids in Lee County schools, hoping for a break in the case.
But Diana's aunt tells Fox 4 that a text isn't enough, and an Amber Alert needs to be sent out. "All they can tell us is that they're following protocol, they're following procedure. And we understand that, but at the same time, understand that this is family. Why haven't you sent out all the possible alerts for a 9 year old? She's not 18."
As her picture circulates the airwaves, law enforcement is hoping you may have seen something. If you know anything you are asked to call the Lee County Sheriff's Office.
