Felcher Adam Schiff
2020-05-24 01:36:36 UTC
SOUTHWEST MIAMI-DADE, FLA. (WSVN) - Officials have cancelled the
AMBER Alert issued for a 9-year-old boy with autism after his
body was found.
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement confirmed that
Alejandro Ripley was found dead, Friday.
An AMBER Alert was issued after investigators said Ripley was
taken from the parking lot of a Southwest Miami-Dade Home Depot
just before 9 p.m., Thursday.
Ripleys mother told police two men forced her off the road near
Southwest 88th Street and 157th Avenue and blocked her vehicle
in.
A passenger in the vehicle got out of the car, came over to
Ripleys mother, pushed her and demanded drugs.
The passenger of the vehicle exits the vehicle, approaches the
mother and demands drugs, said Miami-Dade Police detective
Angel Rodriguez. The mother is insisting that she does not have
any drugs, and so the passenger, at that point, reaches in,
grabs her cellphone, steals the cellphone and takes her child.
Once she told the man she did not have drugs, that is when she
said they took her cellphone and pulled Ripley out from inside
the car.
FDLE issued an AMBER Alert searching for Ripley and the two men
his mother said took him in their light blue sedan.
Early Friday morning, officials found a body in shallow water
near Miccosukee Golf & Country Club at Southwest 138th Court and
62nd Street.
On the body was a Captain America T-shirt, which is the same
shirt that Ripleys mother said he was wearing when she reported
him missing. Detectives are calling this a homicide
investigation after pulling the body out of the lake.
The Miami-Dade medical examiner will have to positively identify
the body that was found at the golf course.
Unfortunately, someone called in and reported that they saw
what appeared to be the body of a child, Miami-Dade Police
detective Chris Thomas said.
Shortly after the discovery, 7News cameras captured undercover
detectives visiting Ripleys familys home.
Officers said they are investigating all details that have been
put forward and will be interviewing Ripleys family.
Were gonna go ahead with that information and investigate that
case, as it is an abduction, Thomas said.
Neighbors who would see Ripley playing outside in the
neighborhood said they were stunned by the news that he had been
tragically found dead.
I feel sad, like very, very sad. I know how it is to lose
someone, but I just hope that theyre OK, neighbor Megan
Manteiga said.
Heartbreaking, heartbreaking, we are in total shock, Karlo
Medina said. Weve never seen this before in our neighborhood.
Its tough. I mean, I have a granddaughter. I dont want to see
no kids go through that.
As she and the other neighbors are processing the news of
Ripleys untimely passing, investigators are working to piece
together everything about the boy and the events leading up to
his death.
Ripleys older brother uploaded a few videos on Instagram of
much happier times, showing Ripley and his family enjoying
Christmas Day and taking a stroll.
On Friday, his death set a much darker mood in the Southwest
Miami-Dade neighborhood where he was growing up.
Its super sad. I dont know what to think of it, neighbor
Sofia Cabrera said. Its just like one day I saw him playing
out there, and now everything happening, its just crazy.
One man, who spoke on condition of anonymity, dropped off
flowers where the boys body was found.
Its horrible. We havent had something like this happen in a
long time in this county, he said. My hearts broken.
Detectives are canvassing the neighborhood to search for
surveillance video that may help them in their investigation.
If you have any information that can help investigators, call
Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-TIPS. Remember, you can
always remain anonymous, and you may be eligible for a $3,000
reward.
https://wsvn.com/news/local/amber-alert-cancelled-after-9-year-
old-sw-miami-dade-boy-found-dead/
AMBER Alert issued for a 9-year-old boy with autism after his
body was found.
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement confirmed that
Alejandro Ripley was found dead, Friday.
An AMBER Alert was issued after investigators said Ripley was
taken from the parking lot of a Southwest Miami-Dade Home Depot
just before 9 p.m., Thursday.
Ripleys mother told police two men forced her off the road near
Southwest 88th Street and 157th Avenue and blocked her vehicle
in.
A passenger in the vehicle got out of the car, came over to
Ripleys mother, pushed her and demanded drugs.
The passenger of the vehicle exits the vehicle, approaches the
mother and demands drugs, said Miami-Dade Police detective
Angel Rodriguez. The mother is insisting that she does not have
any drugs, and so the passenger, at that point, reaches in,
grabs her cellphone, steals the cellphone and takes her child.
Once she told the man she did not have drugs, that is when she
said they took her cellphone and pulled Ripley out from inside
the car.
FDLE issued an AMBER Alert searching for Ripley and the two men
his mother said took him in their light blue sedan.
Early Friday morning, officials found a body in shallow water
near Miccosukee Golf & Country Club at Southwest 138th Court and
62nd Street.
On the body was a Captain America T-shirt, which is the same
shirt that Ripleys mother said he was wearing when she reported
him missing. Detectives are calling this a homicide
investigation after pulling the body out of the lake.
The Miami-Dade medical examiner will have to positively identify
the body that was found at the golf course.
Unfortunately, someone called in and reported that they saw
what appeared to be the body of a child, Miami-Dade Police
detective Chris Thomas said.
Shortly after the discovery, 7News cameras captured undercover
detectives visiting Ripleys familys home.
Officers said they are investigating all details that have been
put forward and will be interviewing Ripleys family.
Were gonna go ahead with that information and investigate that
case, as it is an abduction, Thomas said.
Neighbors who would see Ripley playing outside in the
neighborhood said they were stunned by the news that he had been
tragically found dead.
I feel sad, like very, very sad. I know how it is to lose
someone, but I just hope that theyre OK, neighbor Megan
Manteiga said.
Heartbreaking, heartbreaking, we are in total shock, Karlo
Medina said. Weve never seen this before in our neighborhood.
Its tough. I mean, I have a granddaughter. I dont want to see
no kids go through that.
As she and the other neighbors are processing the news of
Ripleys untimely passing, investigators are working to piece
together everything about the boy and the events leading up to
his death.
Ripleys older brother uploaded a few videos on Instagram of
much happier times, showing Ripley and his family enjoying
Christmas Day and taking a stroll.
On Friday, his death set a much darker mood in the Southwest
Miami-Dade neighborhood where he was growing up.
Its super sad. I dont know what to think of it, neighbor
Sofia Cabrera said. Its just like one day I saw him playing
out there, and now everything happening, its just crazy.
One man, who spoke on condition of anonymity, dropped off
flowers where the boys body was found.
Its horrible. We havent had something like this happen in a
long time in this county, he said. My hearts broken.
Detectives are canvassing the neighborhood to search for
surveillance video that may help them in their investigation.
If you have any information that can help investigators, call
Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-TIPS. Remember, you can
always remain anonymous, and you may be eligible for a $3,000
reward.
https://wsvn.com/news/local/amber-alert-cancelled-after-9-year-
old-sw-miami-dade-boy-found-dead/