Statewide Alert Issued for Stockton Girl, 12

A statewide Amber alert was issued Wednesday for a 12-year-old Stockton girl believed kidnapped by a boarder who had threatened to kill her family, police said.

Juana Martinez was believed to be in a car driven by Jose Thomas, 21.

“We are really unsure which car they’re in,” said Stockton Police Officer Sean Fenner. It could be a newer green Ford pickup or an older maroon Honda Accord with a broken right window covered by white paper, he said.

Thomas, a native of Guatemala, had been living with Martinez and her parents since arriving in the United States four months ago, Fenner said. On Tuesday, he and the girl’s father argued, and Thomas threatened to kill the family after he was ordered out of the house. He left.

Juana was last seen Wednesday evening about 5 p.m., when her father went looking for her and saw her with Martinez and another man in the truck. He chased them in his car, but they fled. Police said they might have changed vehicles.

The girl, also Guatemalan, is described as 5 feet 3 and 110 pounds, with brown eyes, long brown hair and last seen wearing a burgundy sweater, blue jeans and white tennis shoes.

Thomas is described as 5 feet 6 and 170 pounds, with short black hair, brown eyes and a cleanshaven face.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Stockton Police Department at (209) 937-8377.