Friday, March 29, 2024

BIA reports 2 girls forcibly abducted, vehicle reported in Yah-Ta-Hey

WINDOW ROCK

Navajo Nation Police received a tip that suspected abductor Andres Pinto’s vehicle may have been located at a home in Yah-Ta-Hey, New Mexico, on Sunday morning.

After about 20 minutes of searching a home, police reported they made no contact with Pinto or the two teenagers he allegedly abducted on Saturday night.

According to a U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs news release, Pinto has ties to Gallup.

Navajo Nation Council Delegate Amber Crotty, chair of the Sexual Assault Prevention Subcommittee, said on Sunday, “Every minute counts.”

“We need to find these girls safely and law enforcement needs our help,” Crotty said. “If you know something, say something. If you spotted the vehicle or have any information, please contact law enforcement immediately. Take this serious.”

Crotty asked everyone to think of the teenager’s families too.

“I’m also thinking of their families and just giving them the support, what they need because their girls were abducted,” she said. “We need them to return home.”

The BIA issued an Amber Alert for two girls from Santo Domingo Pueblo, 41 miles north of Albuquerque.

The news release said Pinto, 37, of Albuquerque, abducted Zuriah Castillo, 14, and Jaylynn Miller, 16.

Pinto allegedly took the two girls by force from a gas station on the Santo Domingo Pueblo Reservation on Saturday around 7:08 p.m. He was driving a maroon 1991 Cadillac Deville bearing New Mexico license plate 514-WML.

Police say Castillo is 5-5, weighs 130 pounds, has shoulder-length bleached blonde hair and brown eyes. She was last seen wearing a white V-neck T-shirt, and black jeans.

Miller is 5 feet tall, weighs 112 pounds, with shoulder-length brown hair that is dyed red, and brown eyes. She was last seen wearing a white V-neck T-shirt, black jeans and Vans shoes.

The suspect, police said, is 5-8 tall, 190 pounds, with brown eyes and black hair.

Pinto was last seen wearing a black baseball hat, black shirt, black jeans, Converse shoes, and a silver necklace.

Police say they do not know where Pinto is headed. The investigation into the alleged abduction continues.

Anyone with any information regarding this New Mexico Amber Alert is asked to call the Bureau of Indian Affairs at 505-346-2868 or dial 911


About The Author

Donovan Quintero

"Dii, Diné bi Naaltsoos wolyéhíígíí, ninaaltsoos át'é. Nihi cheii dóó nihi másání ádaaní: Nihi Diné Bizaad bił ninhi't'eelyá áádóó t'áá háadida nihizaad nihił ch'aawóle'lágo. Nihi bee haz'áanii at'é, nihisin at'é, nihi hózhǫ́ǫ́jí at'é, nihi 'ach'ą́ą́h naagééh at'é. Dilkǫǫho saad bee yájíłti', k'ídahoneezláo saad bee yájíłti', ą́ą́ chánahgo saad bee yájíłti', diits'a'go saad bee yájíłti', nabik'íyájíłti' baa yájíłti', bich'į' yájíłti', hach'į' yándaałti', diné k'ehgo bik'izhdiitįįh. This is the belief I do my best to follow when I am writing Diné-related stories and photographing our events, games and news. Ahxéhee', shik'éí dóó shidine'é." - Donovan Quintero, an award-winning Diné journalist, served as a photographer, reporter and as assistant editor of the Navajo Times until March 17, 2023.

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