Two girls, 11 and 12, abducted by neighbors returned

Two Huntington Beach residents, Pablo Bahena, 22 and Esgar Vasques,

21, were arrested Monday for allegedly abducting two underage girls from

their neighborhood. The names of the girls, ages 11 and 12, were not

released.

“They went freely with the men,” said Lieutenant Ron Burgess of the

Huntington Beach Police Department. “However we do not know exactly why

they left with them.”

The girls were reported missing by their parents on May 7. Police

caught up with them nearly a week later.

Bahena and Vasques lived in the same neighborhood as the girls and

their families.

Police received an anonymous tip on Monday, that the girls were

staying with a relative of one of the male suspects in Riverside, said

Burgess. Riverside Sheriff’s deputies responded and found one of the

girls and Vasques. Huntington Beach Police took the girl into protective

custody and arrested Vasques.

Later that same evening Bahena and the second girl were found in

Whittier with the help of deputies from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s

Department Norwalk Station.

“Bahena and the girl were making plans to leave for Mexico,” said

Burgess.

The girls were taken to the Orangewood Children’s Home where they are

in protective custody with juvenile authorities. Bahena and Vasques were

charged with child abduction and sex offenses with a child. They will be

arraigned at the West Justice Center on May 16.