Family in Desperate Search for Missing Teen, City of Carson to Vote on $100,000 Reward for Info Resulting in Return

On March 22, the Captain of the Sheriff’s station in the City of Carson, Damon Jones reported the details of missing teen Alinka Castenada to the Carson City Council following the March 17 television news reports of her disappearance and the family’s fear that she has been caught up in human trafficking. 

The last image of Alinka Angeline Castaneda is a 5 a.m. security video, showing her standing outside her home, then being taken away in an unknown vehicle.

Retired  Los Angeles Police Detective Moses Castillo has been helping the family search for Alinka. 

“The family says when she walked off the driveway, she was wearing a hoodie and had nothing in her hands. No wallet, no cellphone, no backpack,” said Castillo.

Two weeks after her disappearance, Alinka’s mother Maricela Rosas said her younger daughter got a panicked phone call from Alinka. Police traced the call to an address in Venice. Then two hours later, she got another call from another burner phone.

Rosas said she heard from her daughter again in late February. Alinka told her she was at Union Station and would be home by 10 p.m., but that never happened.

At the end of his report regarding Carson Sheriff Station’s crime-fighting and community engagement efforts, Captain Jones spoke at length about Alinka following the television reports of the missing the weekend prior.

After providing a brief description of the teen, Capt. Jones explained what steps the Carson Sheriff’s Station has taken thus far since learning of the teen’s disappearance. 

He said his staff responded and followed all proper procedures and protocols and did a great deal of follow-up on as well as work we’ve done in this case. 

Including speaking with the family to determine if there were any prior abductions, health concerns, mental illness, or whether Alinka had any physical or developmental disabilities. He said a report was taken as well on whether Castenda had any history as a victim of dating violence. 

He also said the Carson Sheriff’s Station created a flyer, separate from the flyers created by the family. 

Subsequently, Capt. Jones said Alinka’s information was entered into the National Crime Center database to show that she was missing. 

Capt. Jones noted detectives have gone out to talk to some of Castenada’s friends, and school officials and have even pinged the phones Alinka used to contact her parents over the past two months. 

“Our detectives are diligently… working this matter and will continue to follow any leads,” he said. Jones noted that his detectives have received a few tips via email and phone calls to the station and are following up on those leads. 

Mayor Lula Davis-Holmes acknowledged receiving the family’s emailed message asking for help and reported that the flyer soliciting the public for information on Alinka’s whereabouts would posted on the city’s marquee and had contacted the city’s digital advertising providers.

Castillo speaking on behalf of the family called on the city to lend its voice to get the FBI involved in the search, noting 

“I believe it is time to take it up to the next level,” Castillo said. ”I appreciate the captain and his detectives. I have nothing bad to say about what they’re doing. But at this point, time has gone by, and I think it’s time to tap into additional resources.”

Mayor Davis-Holmes agendized the $100,000 reward for information leading to finding and returning of Alinka to her family for the next City Council meeting as well as forwarding the details of Alinka’s to the next level of government.