Wednesday, 29 July 2026, 20:54
An Amber Alert that stretched across Southern California ended successfully Wednesday afternoon when law enforcement confirmed all three abducted children were located unharmed and the suspect was arrested. The Ridgecrest Police Department announced the safe recovery just before 4:15 p.m., hours after the alert was first issued.
The California Highway Patrol (CHP) issued the Amber Alert at approximately 3:30 p.m. on behalf of the Ridgecrest Police Department. The children — Maximus Roman, 10, Kaiser Roman, 8, and Hailee Roman, 4 — were last seen around 11:30 a.m. at the intersection of East Coso Avenue and East Las Flores Avenue in Ridgecrest. The suspect, 29-year-old Julio Roman-Garcia, was described as 5’11” tall, 400 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes, wearing a black long-sleeve shirt and black sweatpants. He was believed to be driving a 2014 gray Honda Accord with California plate 9RUN898.
Ridgecrest is a city in eastern Kern County, near the Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake. The Amber Alert was broadcast across Kern, Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Ventura, Orange, Riverside, San Diego, Imperial, and San Luis Obispo counties, reflecting the suspect's potential to travel widely. Local law enforcement urged anyone who saw the vehicle or children to call 911 immediately.
Amber Alerts are reserved for the most serious child abduction cases where law enforcement believes the child is in imminent danger. California has a statewide alert system that rapidly disperses information via wireless emergency alerts, highway signs, and media. The Ridgecrest incident underscores the effectiveness of such rapid community notification.
Thanks to swift police work and public vigilance, the three children are safe and the suspect is in custody. No further details on the location of the recovery or charges have been released. Authorities remind the public to remain alert and report suspicious activity.
