Crime & Courts

This newborn is missing, her mother was found shot to death

For a wrap-up of Friday's developments, see this story: Police: Missing Sophia may be in hands of someone claiming infant as their own

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Police are still searching for a missing 7-day-old girl and a suspect in connection with the missing baby and the girl’s mother, who was found shot to death in her west Wichita home Thursday evening.

Sgt. Nikki Woodrow, of the Wichita Police Department, said the police department did not have any updates about the case Friday morning. Police are planning to discuss the case during the agency’s regular news briefing with reporters Friday. That starts at 10 a.m. and will be broadcast live on the police department’s Facebook page.

The baby’s name is Sofia Victoria Gonzales Abarca. Anyone who has information about the incident is being asked to call 911 or local authorities, police have said. Tips on possible suspects should also be called in, police said Friday on Facebook.

“She is considered missing and endangered,” Woodrow said of the infant. “We have no leads where she’s at.”

An Amber Alert had still not been issued Friday as of 8:30 a.m., because the case does not include suspect information to share with the public – an Amber Alert criteria. Woodrow said police are working closely with the Kansas Bureau of Investigation, and if a suspect is determined, an Amber Alert will be issued immediately.

The girl’s 27-year-old mother was found dead in an apartment in the 200 block of North Brunswick, near Maple and Ridge Road, when a relative came by shortly before 3:30 p.m. Thursday, police said. She had last been heard from at around noon.

Investigators want to talk to anyone who has any kind of relationship with the victim, Woodrow said.

The child’s father is not a suspect in the woman’s death, Woodrow said. Police last night had been searching for person of interest in a 1997 purple Cadillac who recently interacted with the slain woman and was thought to have information that might aid in the investigation. But he and the car have since been found.

Contributing: Bryan Horwath and Gabriella Dunn of The Eagle

Timeline of events

Noon Thursday: Mother, 27, and 6-day-old infant Sofia Victoria Gonzales Abarca last seen alive

Around 3:30 p.m. Thursday: Family member finds mother shot to death, baby discovered missing, 911 is notified

4:40 p.m. Thursday: Wichita police release first photos of Sofia to public, ask for help finding her

5:15 p.m. Thursday: Police announce search for 1997 purple Cadillac, occupant is person of interest in the case

9:15 p.m. Thursday: Police announce the Cadillac has been found, occupant is not a suspect

Friday morning: Sofia remains missing, police have no suspects

10 a.m. Friday: Wichita police plan to update public on the case

This story was originally published November 18, 2016 at 7:04 AM with the headline "This newborn is missing, her mother was found shot to death."

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