"It's one we don't want to mess up. West/Watkins Family "We offered a reward out of our own pockets," the missing boys' uncle, Jamal Watkins, told ABC News. 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. Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. "We deserve to know what happened to those babies," California City resident Robyn Plantz said. If you didnt do the right thing, do the right thing now and tell us where they are now. Wills said. The boys were declared dead by the Kern County District Attorney's Office last year even though their bodies have not been found. The truth has to and will come to light.. Ms. She did not reveal how the boys were killed or other facts of the case. Further details on what happened to the boys likely wont become available until trial begins. CALIFORNIA CITY, Calif. (KABC) -- Just days before Christmas, Orrin West and his younger brother Orson were reported missing from their home in California City. 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. 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. Authorities and the community are still searching for two missing boys in California City. ", "Its a baby, he cant protect his little self.". "Were trying to take it one day at a time," Pettus said of her family. A grand jury indicted the boys' adoptive parents this week, Kern District Attorney Cynthia Zimmer told reporters. The District Attorneys office then presented information to the grand jury and the grand jury found there was sufficient evidence to hold Trezell and Jacqueline West responsible for these murders and they returned what was called a true bill, Zimmer said. 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. 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. Who is involved? BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) Orrin and Orson West were first reported missing from their home in California City on Dec. 21, 2020. Pair says detectives conducted a search for the boys Thursday, but wouldn't provide details. Police have undergone multiple massive searches for the boys. "I knew something happened to them as soon as they were reported missing," the boys' biological grandmother Brenda Pettus exclusively told The Sun this week. Like us on Facebook atwww.facebook.com/TheSunUSand follow us from our main Twitter account at@TheSunUS, 'Dark details' about boyfriend of US swim champ who mysteriously died, Disturbing red flags of Lindsay Clancy's psychosis before she 'killed 3 kids', Mysterious powder swamps US skies as residents report dust-covered cars, Manson Family member's death 'not a relief' to model who avoided Sharon Tate attack, 2020 THE SUN, US, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED | TERMS OF USE | PRIVACY | YOUR AD CHOICES | SITEMAP, Orson West (pictured) and his brother were reported missing in December of 2020, Credit: National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, It was announced this week that Orson and Orrin (pictured) are believed to be dead, Their adoptive parents, Trezell (left) and Jacqueline West (right), were arrested, were last seen playing in the backyard of their home. Their adoptive parents, Trezell West, 35, and The boys were declared dead by the Kern County District BPD took over the investigation on March 1. Around mid-February, KGET received word a couple vans had been spotted outside the California City home. 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. Their adoptive parents, Trezell West, 35, and Jacqueline West, 32, claimed that the two boys disappeared from the backyard while playing. Copyright 2023 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. "We've heard alien abduction, everything that you can think of," he said. 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. Kern County District Attorney Cynthia Zimmer held a news conference where she said the bodies of Orrin and Orson had not been located but investigators believed the children died three months before the Wests reported them missing. Give Light and the People Will Find Their Own Way. This morning, Im saddened to announce that the investigation has revealed that Orrin and Orson West are deceased, she said. The investigation has also revealed that they died three months before their adoptive parents reported them missing, Zimmer said at a news conference Wednesday morning. They searched and raised reward money, but little did they know, authorities had already uncovered a huge piece of the case. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. pic.twitter.com/3VojKlE6yY. Who is involved? Click to reveal Months went by with no trace of the boys, while the authorities were keeping quiet about their investigation. 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. Heres everything you need to know about The Grinch sequel, plus the best books your kid can check out now. ! chanted participants in a February 2021 vigil in Bakersfield. "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. YouTuber Doug Hutton accused a neighbor of the Wests of being connected to the disappearance. Orrin and Orson, two toddlers were reported missing by their adoptive parents back in December 2020, at around the time of Christmas. Orrin and Orson West's bodies have not been yet found by the authorities yet but the investigation has determined they have passed away. Investigators haven't released information about what led to the conclusion that the boys are no longer alive. Bakersfield Police Chief discusses case of two California City boys missing since December | KGET 17. No information was released on new developments. Ryan Dean, the boys mother, filed a claim the precursor to a lawsuit seeking $40 million. The couple originally announced the disappearance of The revelations about toddlers Orson and Orrin West come after the boys' adoptive parents were arrested on Tuesday. I would think the same thing. But the boys remained missing and no arrests were made. 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 two boys were reported missing from California City in 2020. Orson and Orrin's bodies have not been found. Four other children, two adopted and two biological children of the Wests, were placed in protective custody. Everyone is making their own conclusions. Orrin and Orson West were reported missing from the West's California City home in December 2020. They don't know anything. She said prosecutors requested the grand jury convene to hear evidence. Some years pass with only one or even no killings. BPD said a detective has been assigned as the full0time lead investigator along with a team of detectives and crime analysts. On a daily basis theres case movement, theres interviews that occur, said BPD spokesman Sgt. He realized he left the gate open and conducted a frantic search of the neighborhood before calling 911, Trezell West told police. The couple has four other children who have been placed in protective custody. The adoptive parents Trezell and Jacqueline West said the boys were playing with chalk in the backyard when they suddenly went missing. "There was a bruise around the neck. Orrin (left) and Orson West. Hutton removed the pictures then confronted someone at the neighbors house. 67.205.29.114 Their bodies have not been found. That proved frustrating to some, leading to arguments and even an arrest. The foster system clearly failed here and so that is really our main goal.. 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. A statement attributed to the family said they had been inundated with threats and were lying low. 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. We use affiliate links throughout this site and may earn money based on qualified purchases. So while news of two missing children was certainly alarming, searchers remained hopeful. 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. CALIFORNIA CITY, Calif. (KABC) -- Just days before Christmas, Orrin West and his younger brother Orson were reported missing from their home in California City. She says she does not know how this injury occurred. Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page. 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. Missing toddlers Orrin and Orson West are shown in undated family photos. Plantz lives directly behind the home the missing boys apparently shared with their adoptive parents. We're going through it.". The neighbor then put pictures of Hutton all over the Wests house along with a banner asking Doug Hutton, Where are the boys?. 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. Originally set to start in May, the trial was moved back to July 25. The two were last seen on Dec. 21 in the California City area. Multiple searches were performed, but no trace of the boys were found. BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) Orrin and Orson West were first reported missing from their home in California City on Dec. 21, 2020. Many of the missing pieces in this case started to fall in place over the last 24 hours. 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. Brothers Orson and Orrin West -- ages 3 and 4, respectively, were reported missing by their adoptive parents, Trezell and Jacqueline West. Orrin and Orson West Update: Are Their Bodies Found? "On December 21, 2020, Orrin was four years old, Orson was 3 years old. Where are the boys? ", "It's difficult. Two brothers, Orson West, 3, and Orrin West, 4, went missing days before Christmas, on December 21, 2020. Bakersfield Police Chief Greg Terry also confirmed that the boys died prior to the search during a press conference. People may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. "This is a hard one," he said. The biological parents of Orrin and Orson have taken legal action against the county, saying negligence by the Department of Human Services contributed to the boys deaths. Orson West (pictured) and his brother were reported missing in December of 2020 Credit: National Center for Missing & Exploited Children. Anyone with information regarding this case is asked to call BPD at (661) 327-7111. Our priority is to find out where our boys are and their safe return, the statement read. We want to bring them home to give them a proper burial.. Email us [email protected] call212 416 4552. "To be handed out to dogs, as a figurative of speech. pic.twitter.com/OD93te8F4O, Bakersfield resident Ryan Dean, the biological mother of the missing 3 and 4-year-old California City boys, is claiming foul play against her childrens' foster parents, Wednesday, two days after the children went missing. Investigation has revealed that Orrin and Orson West are deceased. I cant comment on whether I think theyre alive or not, Walker told Nexstars KGET at the time. By the next morning, the community came together in the first of many massive searches. The judge ordered they be held without bail. Right thing, do the right thing, do the right thing, the... 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