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Reported by: Dustin Lattimer Tuesday, Jul 8, 2008 @09:42pm CDT The case of two missing foster kids out of California, has landed in northeast Oklahoma tonight. Around noon today, patrol units happened to glance over at the McDonalds in downtown Miami, and saw a vehicle that matched the description of one stolen in California. When they looked inside, they found just one of the missing girls, eight-year-old, Robin Lemus. Officers say she was unhurt. The search for the missing girls began in California on Monday morning, around 3:00 a-m. That's when the girls foster parent noticed her 1998 Lexus sedan, and the girls, were no-where to be found. Authorities believe 12-year-old Estephanie Floris drove her, and her foster sister to Estephanie's biological mother's house. From there, police say Iris Zavala, the biological mother, stepped in the drivers seat. The biological father of eight-year-old Robin Lemus says he got a text message just days before the girls went missing. "On Thursday she sent me a text message saying that Stephanie was crying, because the foster mom was being mean to her," says Robin Lemus's Father, Felicio Lemus. Authorities in California believe the girls, with Zavala's help, headed east, and planned to stop in Miami, Oklahoma. The authorities were right. "After twelve (p.m.) one of our patrol guys spotted the vehicle in the McDonalds parking lot, they searched the vehicle and they found the girl in the backseat," says Miami Police Detective, Chris Leamon. The patrol unit had been on the lookout for the Lexus, and spotted it here. Miami police say 8-year-old Robin Lemus was the only one in the vehicle. They claim she had been the car between one and three hours. As for the twelve-year-old, and her mother, they're still on the loose. "Our evening shift patrol, which came on at three o'clock, they've been briefed on everything we have and have been given photos and if these people are spotted or seen, they are persons of interest and we'll deal with it accordingly," says Leamon. Police say they don't know why the three stopped in Miami, Oklahoma. They are waiting on investigators from California to arrive here tomorrow. At that point, the investigation will focus on the unanswered questions, and will try to find out were Zavala and her daughter are headed now. As for the 8-year-old girl, the first thing officers did was check how healthy she was. She was in a hot car for possibly a few hours, so they gave her some food, and water. Right now, Miami police say she's safe, and in the custody of the Department of Human Services. |