"We deserve to know what happened to those babies," California City resident Robyn Plantz said. Police and the FBI searched the Wests home and seized phones and other electronic devices. I saw them there, went into the house, came back out, didnt see them there.When his wife confirmed that she hadn't seen the boys either, panic set in.\"I realized that I left the back gate open and I panicked and came inside the house, searched the house, me and my wife. 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. "Were trying to take it one day at a time," Pettus said of her family. They searched and raised reward money, but little did they know, authorities had already uncovered a huge piece of the case. According to their adoptive father, Trezol West, their adoptive mother, Jacqueline West, was inside wrapping presents while he was out back gathering fire wood.I came in the house, Trezol West told KGET. Violent crime is no stranger, but homicides remain relatively rare. Their van was towed and inspected. The case of the disappearance of Orrin and Orson West seemed to have deteriorated for a year at this point. At that point, 44 search warrants had been served, 83 people interviewed and 170 items seized. The case has been frustrating for detectives as they diligently work and try to follow up on possible credible tips while weeding out outlandish conspiracies. Many questions remain surrounding their disappearance. No, Orrin and Orson West's bodies are not yet found but there is a rigid suspicion of death. In a 2021 interview, Jacqueline West said: "Everybody's making their own conclusions. According to prosecutors, Orrin and Orson were killed three months before they were reported missing. Their adoptive parents, Trezell West, 35, and Jacqueline West, 32, claimed that the two boys disappeared from the backyard while playing. And, prosecutors say, their killers were the two people trusted with their safety and well-being their adoptive parents. Around mid-February, KGET received word a couple vans had been spotted outside the California City home. The fact that Trezell is charged with counts of murder indicates that Prosecutors have also asked for reports to be sealed. The little words that the biological family are left with are sending a strong message to Jaqueline and Trezell. Trezell told police that the boys wandered out of their California City, California backyard while he was gathering firewood. At the Disney California Adventure Food and Wine Festival, you will find a palate-dazzling smorgasbord of cuisines and cocktails to indulge in. Sacramento County Superior Court On Dec. 21, 2020, the Wests told California City police that Orrin and Orson had disappeared while playing in the familys backyard, Zimmer recounted. Attorney Waukeen McCoy said the suit was filed to help prevent other families from going through the suffering Dean has experienced. Copyright 2023 KABC Television, LLC. Now, over a year after they were last seen, Trezell and Jacqueline have been arrested for their murders. and last updated 8:46 AM, Mar 02, 2022 BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) The Bakersfield Police Department released a case update for the disappearance of Orrin and Just days before Christmas, Orrin West and his younger brother Orson were reported missing from their home in California City. [] This is not a resolution in this case and there will not be a resolution completely in this case until these boys are brought home. It was announced this "They dont need to hand out children to any old people to get rid them. BPD said a detective has been assigned as the full0time lead investigator along with a team of detectives and crime analysts. Copyright 2023 The Inquisitr. Charles Pettus, the biological father of Orrin and Orson, spoke with KGET in October, 10 months after their disappearance. We want answers! The two boys were reported missing from California City in 2020. Orrin and Orson Wests new parents, Trezell and Jacqueline West, were captured by experts on Tuesday, March 1, 2022. The FBI has also become involved in the investigation.No charges have been filed.Trezol and Jacqueline West have been cooperative, according to police, KGET reports. I cant comment on whether I think theyre alive or not, Walker told Nexstars KGET at the time. Investigators haven't released information about what led to the conclusion that the boys are no longer alive. 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. Jacqueline and Trezell West, the adoptive parents of Orrin and Orson West, will be in court again on Wed, March 1. Please look at the time stamp on the story to see when it was last updated. The California City Police Department originally investigated the case, as the last place the boys were seen was at the home of their adoptive parents in Cal City. pic.twitter.com/SFAztR0K54. 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. "This is a hard one," he said. Two brothers, Orson West, 3, and Orrin West, 4, went missing days before Christmas, on December 21, 2020. Once that didn't pan out, I got in the van, I looked down the street in both directions, it was getting dark, getting cold,\" he said, 23ABC reports.Trezol West said he immediately began searching the neighborhood for the pair and called police for help.California City police and members of the community searched the area for the boys Monday night and all day Tuesday. 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. Since that initial investigation, Cal City PD, the Federal Bureau of Investigations, Kern County Sheriff's Office and BPD have assisted in the investigation. Zimmer said she could not comment on whether there would be any more arrests. A statement attributed to the family said they had been inundated with threats and were lying low. Wednesday, Kern County District Attorney Cynthia Zimmer revealed new details in the murder indictment handed down Tuesday along with the news we had all feared would be coming. On March 8, in a move agreed to by both sides, a Kern County judge issued a gag order barring attorneys and their investigators and law enforcementfrom speaking about the case. Authorities dug in the backyard. The boys biological father, Charles Pettus had been home with the child. The stakes are too high.". People may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Robert Pair. Located roughly 110 miles north of Los Angeles, California City is a desert community of roughly 14,000 people with Edwards Air Force Base, Mojave Air and Space Port and a prison as major employers. Months went by with no trace of the boys, while the authorities were keeping quiet about their investigation. Who is involved? Four other children, two adopted and two biological children of the Wests, were placed in protective custody. Search continues for missing California toddlers who disappeared days before Christmas. 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, The neighbor then put pictures of Hutton all over the Wests house along with a banner asking Doug Hutton, Where are the boys?. The District Attorney's Office says its investigation revealed the West boys, born Cincere and Classic Pettus, had died approximately three months before the couple reported them as missing. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. 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Orrin and Orson West were reported missing from the West's California City home in December 2020. 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. They don't know anything.Cal City Police Chief talks about private investigator involved in case of missing boys Orrin and Orson West.The search continues for two toddlers Orrin and Orson West from California City who went missing from their foster home. 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. Officers were called and Hutton was cited for outstanding misdemeanor warrants and released, police said. After the update, you can listen to our original episode on Orrin and Orson's disappearance to get the full story and timeline. They West/Watkins Family "We offered a reward out of our own pockets," the missing boys' uncle, Jamal Watkins, told ABC News. However, according to Kern County District Attorney Cynthia Zimmer, the evidence indicates that the boys were dead for approximately three months before they were reported missing by the Wests. Trezell West said he kept an eye on the boys as he gathered firewood. No information was released on new developments. Many of the missing pieces in this case started to fall in place over the last 24 hours. In the meantime, the question remains: Where are the boys? Orrin and Orson West's bodies have not been yet found by the authorities yet but the investigation has determined they have passed away. 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Orrin and Orson West were reported missing on January 21st, 2020 by their adoptive parents and still haven't been found. The couple has four other children who have been placed in protective custody. Offers may be subject to change without notice. In June 2017, Dean gave birth to Orson. Pettus has also filed suit and has a hearing scheduled for August. "I think they need to watch that system. During the question-and-answer portion of the press conference, two reporters asked two different questions about the three-month gulf between the brothers alleged murders and their formally reported disappearance. The adoptive parents Trezell and Jacqueline West said the boys were playing with chalk in the backyard when they suddenly went missing. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. 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 The boys were reported missing on Monday, Dec 21st by their adoptive parents, Trezell West \u0026 Jaqueline West. Who is involved? Their bodies have never been found. Plantz lives directly behind the home the missing boys apparently shared with their adoptive parents. BPD took over the investigation on March 1. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) The Bakersfield Police Department released a case update for the disappearance of Orrin and Orson West, who went missing on Dec. 21, 2020, in California City. Two brothers, Orson West, 3, and Orrin West, 4, went missing days before Christmas, on December 21, 2020. A video sent to the station showed a group of people in casual dress examining the yard while deputies and men in suits stood nearby. I searched a bunch of corners, I searched and searched and I called their names, said Trezell West, the adoptive father. Nine months later, they remain missing. The West boys, 3-year-old Orson and 4-year-old Orrin, have been on the minds of law enforcement officers and the community for over five months now. Bakersfield police Sgt. Hours before the arrest, Trezell West was tracked down by 17 News at a post office in Edison, witnesses report seeing him take-off in an RV that was found Tuesday evening about 17 miles west of Bakersfield, that is where the arrest took place. 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. Their adoptive parents maintain the brothers disappeared from their home's backyard Dec. 21 of last year. 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. Robert Pair says they've heard it all. Dean was informed that Kern County Human Services was removing [Orson] from her home, because [Orrin] had been removed, and they remove siblings together, the claim says. 67.205.29.114 Jacqueline and Trezell are accused of killing the two young boys in December 2020. "There was a bruise around the neck. Suspecting abuse, Human Services took the child, the claim says. Candlelight vigils were held in California City and outside Casa Loma Apartments in Bakersfield, where the Wests had previously lived. "The people working on this and the people that are invested in this, that's something that never even factors into it, and it's hurtful on a personal level," Pair said. pic.twitter.com/tj9KKZFQV0. Pettus said. Weve felt so helpless, and seeing everybody out here really looking and helping out really means a lot, Jacqueline West told media two days after the boys disappearance. A grand jury indicted the boys' adoptive parents this week, Kern District Attorney Cynthia Zimmer told reporters. It needs to be sharpened.". CNN Almost 15 months ago, Orrin and Orson Wests adoptive 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. Everyone is making their own conclusions. "It's one we don't want to mess up. 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. WebBAKERSFIELD, Calif. (SCRIPPS) 3-year-old Orson and 4-year-old Orrin West have been missing for months. Orson The boys were reported missing on "We've heard alien abduction, everything that you can think of," he said. Despite not having the boys' remains, Zimmer is confident she has a strong case against the Wests. Give Light and the People Will Find Their Own Way. Many more questions still remain. Jacqueline and Trezell West, the adoptive parents of Orrin and Orson West, will be in court on Wed, March 1. Police said this case "is not a cold case." 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. Where are they? "Why didnt they notice that. They also face one misdemeanor count of making a false report of an emergency and could spend 30 years to life in prison, the district attorney said. Jacqueline and Trezell West have been charged with six-felony counts, including two counts of second-degree murder. Charles Pettus, Brenda's son and the biological father of Orson and Orrin, filed a lawsuit against Kern County and the state of California in late 2021. (California City Police Dept.). Where are they? The claims said Dean noticed her children had lost weight and seemed scared, and Orson had scratches on his face. Thats all I want, is to find my babies. That amount included $30,000 offered by the adoptive family and $25,000 from the city. Originally set to start in May, the trial was moved back to July 25. 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 We're going through it.". He was released into her care, according to the claim, but days later was taken from her. We want to bring them home to give them a proper burial.. The Department of Human Services revoked Deans parental rights and denied Moorers requests. Bakersfield Police Chief Greg Terry joined 17 News at Sunrise to discuss the case in the disappearance of 4-year-old Orrin and 3-year-old Orson West in California City, who have been missing since December. The revelations about toddlers Orson and Orrin West come after the boys' adoptive parents were arrested on Tuesday. Dean took Orrin to Memorial Hospital, where it was discovered his legs were broken. Further postponements are possible. The judge ordered they be held without bail. Orrin West, 4, and Orson West, 3, went missing one year ago, Tuesday. Police and volunteers searched the area using K-9s but came up empty. Orson West, 3, and Orrin West, 4. Hutton removed the pictures then confronted someone at the neighbors house. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. All rights reserved. For more than a year, worried people all over the country have asked: Where are the boys?, The question now is where are the boys bodies? said Rosanna Wills, Orrin and Orsons biological cousin. "This morning, I'm saddened to announce that the investigation has revealed that Orrin and Orson West are deceased," said Zimmer. You have two missing kids and they're gone and you have to figure out what happened to them. Theres items of evidence that are searched.. Orson West, 3, and Orrin West, 4, appear in images released by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page. "To be handed out to dogs, as a figurative of speech. You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked. Data was continuing to be extracted from cellular and electronic devices, and seized items were being forensically examined. Neighbors report NEVER seeing the kids before.California City Police Chief John Walker has said he suspects foul play, however, there have been no breaks in the case. Groups swarmed the area. 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. BAKERSFIELD, Calif. 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