http://www.heraldonline.com/109/story/7145.html

Her daughter is missing. Pain needs no interpretation
By Andrew Dys · The Herald - Updated 09/26/06 - 9:28 AM

The mother, who speaks in Spanish, calls her youngest daughter "my treasure."
Her treasure is missing.

Spanish, English, a mother's pain knows no language.

Alejandra Artunduaga, 13, has been missing since Sept. 14. Her parents, Dora and Hernan, said Monday through an older daughter, bilingual Claudia, that they believe their younger daughter didn't leave of her own free will.

Police aren't so sure.

Alejandra, an eighth-grader at Sullivan Middle School, had been in contact for months with Gabriel Hernandez-Prado, a 24-year-old Rock Hill man from Mexico who may be in the country illegally, said Rock Hill Police Department Lt. Jerry Waldrop. On the night of Sept. 14, a day before Alejandra's parents -- and she -- were supposed to return to Colombia, Alejandra disappeared from the apartment complex where her family lived on Montclair Drive.

Police suspect Alejandra may be with Hernandez-Prado, Waldrop said. Alejandra made statements to friends that she had been seeing Hernandez-Prado and she might be leaving town, Waldrop said. Investigation since the 14th showed Hernandez-Prado made statements to people he worked with in Fort Mill at an irrigation company that he was leaving town, possibly to Los Angeles, Waldrop said.

Police did not ask state police to issue an AMBER Alert -- a kidnapping notification system that can be statewide, regional or national -- because there was nothing to indicate she had been kidnapped, Waldrop said.

"We don't know if she left willingly or not," Waldrop said.

Police have an arrest warrant for Hernandez-Prado on a charge of contributing to the delinquency of a minor, Waldrop said. Authorities around the country, including California, have been alerted that police are looking for both Alejandra and Hernandez-Prado, Waldrop said, but Rock Hill police are not planning on asking for an AMBER alert.

Hernandez-Prado lived in Heather Heights apartments on Celanese Road, Waldrop said.

Alejandra was a good student, Sullivan Principal Bob Heath said Monday, and often helped other Spanish-speaking students. She had said her goodbyes to her teachers and collected e-mail addresses on the 14th, her last day at school, Heath said.

Friday, police held a news conference to help get the word out that Alejandra was missing. Saturday, Claudia and her father went to places frequented by Latinos to put up 'missing' flyers. Sunday, Dora and Hernan prayed at the Spanish-language Mass at St. Anne's Catholic Church.

Hernan told the congregation his daughter was missing and the church put up fliers, said Father Adilso Coelho, pastor at St. Anne's.

Monday, Waldrop said police haven't gotten any further.

Alejandra and her mother, father, and sister have been in Rock Hill for about a year and a half, learning English. Dora and Hernan are not leaving for Colombia until they find Alejandra, Claudia said.

Hernan, through daughter Claudia, said he drove Alejandra to school each day. He would tell her to listen to the teacher and study. Alejandra liked to watch Spanish-language television and listen to Spanish reggaeton music. She wore makeup and fussed over her hair, her mother said.

She is a kid.

Dora doesn't believe her daughter left voluntarily and willingly, Claudia said.

One thing is certain, in Spanish or in English. A girl who just turned 13 years old is missing.

The despair in her parents' eyes needs no interpreter.

Andrew Dys •329-4065 | adys@heraldonline.com