Missing Girl, Man Are Sought

A 10-year-old Palmdale girl disappeared from home Monday, and police are looking for a 33-year-old cousin with a history of drug abuse and spousal rape who was last seen with her.

The girl, who is asthmatic, is without the respirator that she must use every four hours, authorities said.

She was last seen in the 36000 block of Justin Court about 6:30 p.m. Her mother had allowed Duran Edward Lyles, the girl’s cousin, to borrow a van and go to a convenience store with the child, said Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Deputy Alba Yates.

The girl, now the subject of an Amber Alert, has long, black braids, wears glasses and was wearing pink pajamas, Yates said.

Deputy Rich Pena said Lyles is a registered sex offender in Virginia, where he did time for spousal rape -- a crime that did not involve children. He has no permanent address in California. Because the van had little fuel, and Lyles had little money, detectives think he is still in the Antelope Valley area. He is African American, 5 feet 6 and 120 pounds, wearing a white shirt and blue jeans. He has a chipped front tooth.

He was driving a silver, 2003 Chevrolet Venture minivan that has paper plates in a rear license frame bearing the words “Community Chevrolet.”

A special tip line has been set up. Anyone with information about the case is asked to call (661) 267-5519 or 267-5522.