‘Threat of child abduction is real’

Family, community mourns loss of 11-year-old girl

SAN JUAN

Community members here and in Shiprock were still in shock Wednesday after hearing of the tragic death of Ashlynne Mike at the hands of a man who enticed her into his van and then killed her.

On Monday, Mike, 11, a fifth grade student at Ojo Amarillo Elementary and her brother Ian Mike, 9, were abducted by a man who reportedly was driving a maroon van with tinted windows in the Fruitland area.

Ian was able to escape several hours later, but Ashlynne’s body was found Tuesday morning near the Shiprock pinnacle. By Tuesday evening, the FBI announced they had arrested a suspect in the case: Tom Begaye, 27, of Waterflow, N.M.

According to the complaint, the children did not know who the suspect was before the incident.

Begaye told the investigator after he was arrested he had taken the children with the intent of sexually assaulting the young girl, according to the complaint.

The complaint also said Begaye headed toward Navajo Route 13, and then continued to drive on a remote road where he stopped and took Ashlynne to a nearby hill while carrying an L-shape tire iron. Ian stayed in the vehicle.

After Begaye returned to the vehicle, he came back with the L-shape tire iron but Ashlynne wasn’t with him. Begay then told the investigator, according to the complaint, he had hit the young girl twice in the head and left her lying on the ground still moving.

Begaye then said he let Ian out of the vehicle after driving a short distance, said the complaint. Ian walked until he was picked up by a passing motorist and taken to the police.

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