LITTLETON, Maine — Investigators believe an abandoned vehicle found in Littleton, Maine, may be connected to the disappearance of a missing Florida child.
Jorge "Jo-Jo" Morales, 6, was reported missing from Miami, Florida on Aug. 27 and is believed to have been abducted by his father, Jorge Morales, 44, and paternal grandmother, Lilliam Peña Morales, 68, according to a news release issued by the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children.
Investigators with the Miami-Dade police said personal items believed to be related to Jo-Jo were found in the Littleton vehicle, and that Jo-Jo, his father, and grandmother may be found in Maine or eastern Canada during this time.
Both Jorge and Lilliam Morales "face felony charges of custodial interference," according to the release.
Jo-Jo's mother, Yanet Leal Concepcion, said in the release she and Jo-Jo's father shared custody during the past few years, but "feared that he had been planning this abduction." She also said, "Jorge talked about living off the grid and had been using only cash to pay for his expenses over the last year in preparation for that."
Concepcion said her son Jo-Jo is on the autism spectrum and sometimes experiences difficulty communicating.
“This is an AMBER Alert that has received little media attention until now,” NCMEC Communications Director Angeline Hartmann said. “We’re asking people to focus in on the two adults in this case. If you keep a watch out for either of them, little Jo-Jo will likely be nearby.”
Investigators ask that if you have information related to this case to contact NCMEC at 1-800-843-5678 or Miami-Dade County Crime Stoppers at 305-471-8477.
Jo-Jo Morales
Jorge Morales
Lilliam Morales
