NORTHEAST MIAMI-DADE, Fla. – Investigators from Biscayne Park Police are concerned about a 16-year-old teenager after his two siblings were found in Northeast Miami-Dade after being reported kidnapped from Tennessee, but he has not been located.
The police detective who found a 13-year-old girl that led him to her the home where she was being kept is a father himself. He said he won’t stop until all three children have been found. The 9 year-old sister was “terrified,” hiding in a closet in the house.
Kevin Swartz, detective with the Village of Biscayne Park Police, spotted the 13-year-old wandering near Griffin Boulevard and Northeast 118 St. Thursday, three miles away from the house she was eventually able to describe to the detective.
Their mother, 45-year-old Sandra Bates, faced a Miami-Dade County Judge after being arrested on an out-of-state warrant for kidnapping.
The girl, also named Sandra, was described by Swartz, when he found her as disoriented, saying it was difficult to distinguish if she had been drugged or if she had a learning or mental disability.
“Her hair was a bit disheveled, the shirt she had on had maybe a four or five inch tear, her pants were a little dirty and she had no shoes on.”
She had injuries to her foot from running away from the home in Northeast Miami Dade.
She was transported to the hospital where the Department of Children and Families were notified. It was then discovered that Sandra and her brother and sister had been reported kidnapped from Tennessee nearly a year ago.
The girl led investigators back to the home, where she said her 9-year-old sister Sara, and 16-year-old brother, Sevario were being kept.
Swartz said he found the younger girl hiding in a closet.
“She was like a scared cat. She was as far in the corner as she could be. She was terrified.”
Bates was located inside the town home off Northeast 150 Street and 13th Avenue.
“We don’t want to let the mother just get away with kidnapping charges if there were other things that happened to these children,” Swartz said.
There is still no sign of 16-year-old Servario Bates.
Their mother, Sandra, is expected to be extradited back to Memphis, Tenn. It is not clear if she will face additional charges for the sex trafficking allegations.
The two sisters will attend a hearing on Sept. 21 where a judge will decide where they should be placed.
Investigators are asking anyone who may know of the teen-aged boy’s whereabouts, to contact Biscayne Park Police at 305 476 5423 or Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at (305) 471-8477.