GLENDALE, AZ — *UPDATE: Glendale police announced on July 26, 2023, that Alicia Navarro has been located and is safe. Click here for the latest on this story.*
——————- Original story ——————————
It’s been almost a year since 15-year-old Alicia Navarro went missing from her home in Glendale.
Alicia has autism and relies on medication, leading her family to believe she could be in danger.
“We’re living where there’s a lot of missing children and I cannot give up in looking for her,” expressed Jessica Nuñez, Alicia’s mother.
Nuñez spoke to the ABC15 Investigators to ask the community to not give up on her daughter.
“I’m very persistent in my daughter’s case because if I'm not, no one will be.”
For almost 365 days, Nuñez has not stopped looking for her daughter. She has been determined to get more funds for billboards with Alicia’s information posted on them.
“We were able to get a billboard thanks to a local union support of a donation on the I-10 and 75th Avenue and some additional digital boards that were also donated. At the moment, we were able to get Glendale to also put up two billboards,” said Nuñez.
Nuñez has also been sharing an image of how Alicia would look during the COVID-19 pandemic on social media. She is hoping people will recognize her wearing a mask.
“If I'm not her advocate, if I don't speak for her, who will?”
She’s tried it all: television, radio, national news, handing out flyers in the community, reaching out through social media, and now a possible reward.
“There’s still no leads, no information about where my daughter's whereabouts are,” said Nuñez.
She is worried about her own daughter, but also others out there.
“I believe there has to be some type of education programs to our youth about the risks online. Trafficking.”
Nuñez believes Alicia was groomed online, but Jose Santiago with Glendale Police Department says they’re looking into everything.
“There’s nothing that specifically says that she has come in contact with someone or any individuals online. We can tell you that the cell phone that she had hasn’t been used since she left that night,” stated Santiago.
Meanwhile, Nuñez says all she can do now is plead for her safe return and sends this message to Alicia: “You left me a letter and you swore to me that you were going to come back. I know that if you could, you would have called me already. I miss you and that there’s nothing that you could have done or are doing to lower my love for you. I'm here ready to receive you in open arms."
Nuñez also asks for compassion to the people who may know where Alicia may be.
“What is done is done. I'm asking for compassion for me and my family. We miss her very much and we love her.”
If you have any information about Alicia, call the Glendale Police Department at 623-930-3000.
