Ellie Lorenzo: Police reveal new details in death of 3-year-old
SAN JOSE, Calif. - The San Jose Police Department is leading a homicide investigation into the death of a 3-year-old girl.
The body of Ellie Lorenzo was found over the weekend by an employee at a recycling facility in San Jose. She had been reported missing after her father was found dead of an apparent suicide in San Francisco on Friday, authorities confirmed.
Ellie's mother reported the girl missing at about 12:25 p.m. Friday after she learned that the girl's father, who has not been publicly identified, was found dead.
The woman told police that the girl's father was supposed to return Ellie to her on Friday night.
Authorities have not released details on how Ellie died, but they are treating the case as a homicide.
"Our homicide detectives are investigating it. We really don't have a motive. The circumstances are still trying to be figured out and investigated," said Sergeant Jorge Garibay.
Garibay said the coroner's office will make the official identification of the body of the young girl, but "all evidence indicates this is Ellie."
Garibay also said they have identified a person of interest in the case, and it appears to be an isolated incident. Garibay wouldn't elaborate further on the person of interest.
Ellie was last seen about 6 p.m. Thursday at the Casa Arroyo Apartments on Rancho Arroyo Parkway in Fremont, police said.
The girl was with her father under a custody agreement, police said.
After the young girl's body was recovered, her grieving family issued the following statement: "We are heartbroken at the loss of our dear sweet Ellie. She was the most charming, funny, smart, friendly little girl. Ellie loved dancing and meeting new people. She was the most charming, funny, smart, friendly little girl. Ellie loved dancing and meeting new people."
Investigators in Fremont, San Francisco and San Jose are probing the deaths of Ellie and her father.
"We have an idea of what may have occurred. However, until we can have conclusive evidence, we'd be in the wrong. It wouldn't be right for Ellie; it wouldn't be right for Ellie's family for us to try to make that determination," said Garibay.