The bodies of Orrin and Orson been found? Four other children, two adopted and two biological children of the Wests, were placed in protective custody. He claimed in the lawsuit that Child Protective Services was negligent when they took his biological children away and placed them with a couple outside of friends and family. This morning, Im saddened to announce that the investigation has revealed that Orrin and Orson West are deceased, she said. On Dec. 29, 2020, California City Police Chief Jon Walker announced foul play was suspected and said a second search of the home had been conducted and unidentified items seized for analysis. Police and volunteers searched the area using K-9s but came up empty. Everyone concerned remains hopeful the boys will be found safe and sound before the holidays roll around yet again in a few months. Brothers Orson and Orrin West -- ages 3 and 4, respectively, were reported missing by their adoptive parents, Trezell and Jacqueline West. "We've heard alien abduction, everything that you can think of," he said. However, the search results were not made public. The boys' biological father, Charles Pettus, criticized the authorities for taking Orrin and Orson and placing them in the West's home and has filed a lawsuit against the county. They sent out a news release with a description and photos of the boys. YouTuber Doug Hutton accused a neighbor of the Wests of being connected to the disappearance. Our priority is to find out where our boys are and their safe return, the statement read. I feel like my kids are somewhere around here. Then, on March 1, the adoptive parents were each charged with second-degree murder in connection with the boys' deaths. But the boys remained missing and no arrests were made. ", "It's difficult. Knowing that Orrin and Orson West are actually dead is tugging at the heartstrings of many in the community. WebBAKERSFIELD, Calif. (SCRIPPS) 3-year-old Orson and 4-year-old Orrin West have been missing for months. I dont want my kids to be deceased, I want them to come back home because my kids is all I got, Pettus said. BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) Orrin and Orson West were first reported missing from their home in California City on Dec. 21, 2020. Orrin, 4, and Orson, 3, had been playing outside in the early evening, adoptive parents Trezell and Jacqueline West told police. The claims said Dean noticed her children had lost weight and seemed scared, and Orson had scratches on his face. That's exactly the point, and if we can find our babiesthat's all I want, is to find our babies.\" Jacqueline West added, \"It's difficult. Around mid-February, KGET received word a couple vans had been spotted outside the California City home. "They didnt ask to come into this world to be treated like this," the boys' grandmother said. Ryan Dean, the boys mother, filed a claim the precursor to a lawsuit seeking $40 million. We havent been able to put together how the boys got out of the yard, or where theyve gone.. Robert Pair says they've heard it all. Orrin was taken from Dean on Nov. 13, 2016, after she returned home from work and found the then-3-month-old crying uncontrollably, the claim says. Missing toddlers Orrin and Orson West are shown in undated family photos. "As a matter of fact, there have been many, hundreds, of what we call no-body homicides prosecuted across the United States successfully.". Over the past 24 hours, several charges were filed and both parents were arrested. Authorities dug in the backyard. Orson West, 3, and Orrin West, 4. According to Trezell and Jacqueline West, the boys adoptive parents, the boys disappeared from their backyard on Dec. 21. The phrasing used by Zimmer saying the grand jury was convinced and it believed is not a legal standard used at trial, Hennessy said. Attorney Waukeen McCoy said the suit was filed to help prevent other families from going through the suffering Dean has experienced. Sign up for PEOPLE's free True Crime newsletter for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases.According to KGET, authorities obtained a search warrant and have been gathering evidence from the family's home -- even digging up the backyard. And, they havent been found. WebOrson west, and Orrin west were reported missing 12/21/2020 from California city located in Kern County, California. 4-year-old Orrin West, left, and 3-year-old Orson West reportedly disappeared in fall 2020. Violent crime is no stranger, but homicides remain relatively rare. Since that initial investigation, Cal City PD, the Federal Bureau of Investigations, Kern County Sheriff's Office and BPD have assisted in the investigation. Copyright 2021 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The FBI agents and the Bakersfield Police Department searched a field in Bakersfield for remains in March 2021. BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) The sun had sunk below the horizon and temperatures were dropping when Orrin and Orson West were reported missing from their California City home Dec. 21, 2020. While her family waits for word from police on what's next in the investigation, Pettus is questioning what could've been done to avoid the tragedy. Police said the Wests were both charged on Tuesday with two counts of second-degree murder and two counts of willful cruelty to a child. WebA brief synopsis of what occurred: On December 23rd, Orrin, 4 and Orsin, West were reported missing by their adoptive parents. Vandals threw rocks at the home or attempted to break in. Trezell West said he kept an eye on the boys as he gathered firewood. At that point, 44 search warrants had been served, 83 people interviewed and 170 items seized. BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) The adoptive parents of Orrin and Orson West, also known as Cincere and Classic Pettushave, have been assigned a courtroom for their upcoming trial and are set to be back in court for a hearing on Mon, Jan 30. Orrin was taken from Dean on Nov. 13, 2016, after she returned home from work and found the then-3-month-old crying uncontrollably, the claim says. Nine months later, they remain missing. Zimmer said she could not comment on whether there would be any more arrests. Bakersfield police Sgt. Your IP: After my parents go, its just me and my kids., Grand jury hears evidence, Wests indicted. The community reached out to Eyewitness News for a follow-up story on the mysterious disappearance. No, Orrin and Orson West's bodies are not yet found but there is a rigid suspicion of death. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. Police and the FBI searched the Wests home and seized phones and other electronic devices. According to prosecutors, Orrin and Orson were killed three months before they were reported missing. On March 1, the grand jury indicted Trezell and Jacqueline West on two counts of second-degree murder, two counts of child cruelty and falsely reporting an emergency. In the meantime, the question remains: Where are the boys? Even with a larger group of volunteers and sunny conditions, searchers found nothing. "To CPS, they need to take the proper precautions and getting the right parents to take care of the children," she said. Respondent and its employees acted affirmatively and used their authority in a way that created a danger to the children or that rendered the children more vulnerable to danger than had the state not acted at all, according to the claim filed by San Francisco-based McCoy Law Firm. All rights reserved. People may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. TWO boys allegedly killed in a double murder looked skinny and one had a bruised neck before they disappeared, their grandmother claims. Police said this case "is not a cold case." He looked skinny like he didnt eat. 3 Kansas City officers shot while executing search warrant, chief says, Roof collapses at nonprofit South LA clinic, causing $500K in damage, Video shows group of sharks in feeding frenzy off Louisiana coast. "Why didnt they notice that. The search continues for two toddlers Orrin and Orson West from California City who went missing from their foster home. Click to reveal Everyone is making their own conclusions. Their van was towed and inspected. Copyright 2023 KABC Television, LLC. BPD said a detective has been assigned as the full0time lead investigator along with a team of detectives and crime analysts. According to the latest facts released by BPD, all associated family members including the adoptive and biological parents have been interviewed by police, some on multiple occasions. The couple said they scoured the neighborhood after noticing the boys were missing. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Wednesday night, the community that searched and prayed directed anger at adoptive parents, Jaqueline and Trezell West, who cried wolf and remained silent for over a year. 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The boys were born to biological mother Ryan Dean, who lost custody after Orrin was found to have a severely broken and twisted femur bone. "There's never been any kids there," Plantz said. Plantz lives directly behind the home the missing boys apparently shared with their adoptive parents. The fact that Trezell is charged with counts of murder indicates that So while news of two missing children was certainly alarming, searchers remained hopeful. I cant comment on whether I think theyre alive or not, Walker told Nexstars KGET at the time. Police said 16 mass area searches had been conducted, investigators had searched three locations outside the state and more than 200 tips were followed up. "This morning, I'm saddened to announce that the investigation has revealed that Orrin and Orson West are deceased," said Zimmer. As authorities dug deeper, questions began to arise as to whether or not the boys had ever even set foot in California City at all. A pair of black tights are a necessity, rather than just an accessory, to stay stylish and comfortable when temperatures drop. West/Watkins Family "We offered a reward out of our own pockets," the missing boys' uncle, Jamal Watkins, told ABC News. The appearance will be one year to the day since the two were arrested and charged with six felony counts, including two counts of second-degree murder, in connection with the boys' disappearance. Orson West (pictured) and his brother were reported missing in December of 2020 Credit: National Center for Missing & Exploited Children. BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) Orrin and Orson West were first reported missing from their home in California City on Dec. 21, 2020. Statements that have been used by the Kern County district attorney in her press conference tend to invoke a tidal wave of emotion toward finding guilt, whether substantiated or not, and this will taint a local jury pool and could deny our clients a chance at a fair trial, Hennessy said. The Bakersfield Police Department took over the investigation and in March about 50 officers and FBI agents scoured a dirt lot near Casa Loma Apartments. pic.twitter.com/3VojKlE6yY. In this episode, we talk about the arrest, go over the indictment and discuss what we've learned so far. Trezell and Jacqueline West, the adoptive parents of Orrin and Orson West, appeared in court Thursday morning to be arraigned on two counts of 2nd-degree murder in a case that's drawn national attention. The judge ordered they be held without bail. The Wests are being held without bail and were also each charged with two counts of willful cruelty to a child as well as one count of filing an emergency false report. Their four other children, two adopted and two biological, were placed into protective custody, police said in the beginning of the investigation. The action you just performed triggered the security solution. Their bodies have never been found. Suspecting abuse, Human Services took the child, the claim says. Pair says they are keeping the case close to the vest, despite being accused of not working hard enough to find the boys because they are African American. 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As CrimeOnline previously reported , Orson and Orrin West, ages 3 and 4, were last seen on December 21, 2020, at a home in the 10700 block of Aspen Avenue, in California City, at around 5:45 p.m., according to what their parents told police. Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. "I don't believe the kids were ever here.". According to BPD, in connection to this case, 83 people have been interviewed, 44 search warrants have been conducted on residences and electronic devices, 170 items have been seized, over 200 tips have been received, `16 mass area searches have been conducted and three searches have been conducted outside of California. According to Trezell and Jacqueline West, the boys adoptive parents, Wednesday, December 21, 2022, marks two years since four-year-old Orrin and three-year-old Orson West were reported missing from their adoptive parents home By the next morning, the community came together in the first of many massive searches. MAR 3, 2021. ! chanted participants in a February 2021 vigil in Bakersfield. We want answers! Adoptive parents, Jaqueline and Trezell West are charged with several charges including murder and are facing the possibility of 30 years to life behind bars. pic.twitter.com/SFAztR0K54. Just days before Christmas, Orrin West and his younger brother Orson were reported missing from their home in California City. I do suspect foul play. Dean took Orrin to Memorial Hospital, where it was discovered his legs were broken. There was a scar. Please look at the time stamp on the story to see when it was last updated. Trezell and Jacqueline West were indicted Tuesday on two counts of second-degree murder, two counts of cruelty to a child and falsely reporting an emergency. Jacqueline and Trezell are accused of killing the two young boys in December 2020. Follow the article till the end to learn more. Who is involved? Its painful to the family, these kids didnt have a chance in this world, so Im just, said Keisha Stevenson, a biological family friend, as she began to sob. Trezell told police that the boys wandered out of their California City, California backyard while he was gathering firewood. Hennessy also pointed out defense counsel and the accused are not present during grand jury proceedings and have no opportunity to cross-examine witnesses or present evidence. 5. The biological family has informed us that there will be a candlelight vigil in honor of the boys Wednesday at 6 p.m. at the Liberty Bell Courthouse. Orson and Orrin's bodies have not been found. Search continues for missing California toddlers who disappeared days before Christmas. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. Trezell told Multiple searches were performed, but no trace of the boys were found. Trial of adoptive parents of Orrin and Orson West to begin Photo by: 23ABC News Trezell and Jacqueline West, the adoptive parents of Orrin and Orson West, On June 1, 2021, police gave an update detailing efforts that had been made to locate Orrin and Orson. The following day, the boys' biological mother arrived from Bakersfield to help search.I just had to be here because my babies are supposedly missing from this house, Ryan Dean said, KGET reports. "Nobody likes to be accused of that, but I think the product of the work when the truth comes to light is going to speak for itself. (California City Police Dept.). Many of the missing pieces in ", "Its a baby, he cant protect his little self.". He realized he left the gate open and conducted a frantic search of the neighborhood before calling 911, Trezell West told police. "It's sad. Orrin was 4 years old and Orson was 3 at the time they vanished. 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