Missing Sarasota mother, 2 daughters considered endangered by police
SARASOTA -- They were last seen Saturday at home in a peaceful mobile home park in Sarasota.
Hidalia Bernal, 30, and her daughters, Noemi Olivares, 13; and Claudia Olivares, 9, now are missing and considered endangered, according to the Sarasota Police Department.
"We're concerned about them and want the help of citizens in our community to help us find them," Sarasota Police Chief Bernadette DiPino said Thursday afternoon at a news conference at agency headquarters in Sarasota.
According to a release, Bernal and her two daughters were last seen last weekend at their home in the 2100 block of 11th Place in Freedom Village in Sarasota. Noemi and Claudia have not attended school since March 11, police said.
"They also have not had
contact with friends or family since the weekend, which is very unusual for the family," according to the release.
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement issued a missing child alert and detectives reportedly received several leads by Thursday evening.
Sarasota Police Lt. Randy Boyd said suspicions arose after police went to contact with Bernal over a subpoena she had been served as a witness to a crime. Police reported finding several unusual circumstances at Bernal's home: vehicles still parked out front, Bernal's cell phone in the house and Boyd said there was "a note of some sort." No details were provided on the contents of the note.
Officials were also hesitant to share details on the case where Bernal is a witness, but did say it was an ongoing lewd and lascivious case involving her husband, Roman Olivares.
Olivares, 32, was arrested Sept. 24 on a lewd and lascivious behavior charge and is being held at the Sarasota County jail on $7,500 bond, according to the Sarasota County Sheriff's Office website. Olivares is the father of Claudia, but not of Noemi, Boyd said later.
"As soon as we see them, we lay eyes on them and we know that they're OK, we can move forward with serving the subpoenas and they can move on with their lives," Boyd said of the missing family. "We just want to hear from her, so that we know that her and her children are OK and then we'll go from there."
The Sarasota mother is not an U.S. citizen, officials said, but is not in any trouble at this point, Boyd said. He couldn't say with certainty whether foul play is suspected, but said Bernal "absolutely" may have fled with her children.
"We don't want her to be fearful of that," Boyd said about the subpoena. "We want her to know that we're on her side, and we're on the side of her children, and we just want her to be safe and we can go from there."
According to the release, all three have brown hair and brown eyes. Bernal is 5-foot-4 and weighs 140 pounds. Noemi is 5-foot and weighs 80 pounds. Claudia is 4-foot-8 and weighs 60 pounds.
In Freedom Village, several neighbors declined to talk to a Herald reporter, saying they didn't know the family well.
Carol Shing, who has lived in Freedom Village for 16 years, stood by her doorway later in the afternoon and examined a photo of a smiling Bernal in a red long-sleeved top.
"The mom looks very familiar," the 71-year-old said, adding she thinks she has seen Bernal while shopping at Save-A-Lot and Publix. "I'm not too sure about the children, but as soon as I saw the picture, I know I seen her somewhere."
Shing expressed sadness over the case, saying the situation was terrible.
"I will pray for her and her daughters."
Anyone with information on the case or the family's whereabouts should call 911, Detective Megan Buck at 941-954-7067 or leave an anonymous tip with Crime Stoppers by calling 941-366-TIPS or online at sarasotacrimestoppers.com.
"Please, we need the public to tell us if they've seen them, seen anyone, especially when their car's still here, the cell phone is still here," DiPino said. "Those kind of things just raise our concern about the individuals, so please contact us."
Amaris Castillo, law enforcement/island reporter, can be reached at 941-745-7051. Follow her on Twitter @AmarisCastillo.
This story was originally published March 24, 2016 at 11:16 PM with the headline "Missing Sarasota mother, 2 daughters considered endangered by police ."