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Reported by: Dustin Lattimer Wednesday, Jul 9, 2008 @10:17pm CDT Yesterday, police found 8-year-old Robin Lemus, in Miami, Oklahoma, but were still searching for 12-year-old Estephanie Flores and her biological mom, Iris Zavala. Investigators say this all started in California when the 12-year-old stole her foster mom's car, taking the 8-year-old with her, to pick up Zavala and an unidentified man. Officers discovered the car around noon on Tuesday in the Miami Mcdonalds parking lot, with the 8-year-old still inside. Police say Lemus was dehydrated, but in good condition. She was taken into protective custody by the state of Oklahoma. As for the other three, they were no-where to be found, until now. Iris Zavala and her daughter, Estephanie Flores, were found at a bus stop in Chattanooga, Tennessee, waiting to head south to Miami, Florida where relatives live. As for the man traveling with them, police say he never boarded the bus, so now the search for him, begins. "We still have not identified him, but the information that we've received is he never got on the bus," says Lieutenant Michael Rodriguez with the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. Early this morning, 12-year-old Estephanie Flores was taken into protective custody, and her mother, Iris Zavala, was arrested when the pair were found at a bus station in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Investigators say the two bought a bus ticket in Joplin, hoping to get to Miami, Florida where they have relatives. "We believe this was a pre-planned event between Estephanie and her mother Iris Zavala. She knew how to drive prior to that, prior to going into the foster home, she knew how to drive," says Lieutenant Rodriguez. Police say Zavala and her daughter also have relatives in Miami, Oklahoma, which may explain why the four stopped there, abandoning 8-year-old Robin Lemus on Tuesday. "We received information from California that they were looking for a stolen vehicle, and they had reason to believe the vehicle was in Miami, Oklahoma," says Detective Chris Leamon with the Miami Police Department. Police are now looking into how the three got to Joplin. Detectives from California will begin questioning the 8-year-old, and the 12-year-old soon. "They're not talking just yet, my investigators are their waiting to talk to them. Actually they're on their way, they initially went to Miami, Oklahoma and now they're getting transportation to go to Chattanooga, Tennessee," says Lieutenant Rodriguez. Zavala, who's now awaiting extradition to California, is expected to be charged with a variety of crimes, including kidnapping and child endangerment. |