Its been 10 months and there are still no answers on the whereabouts of Orson and Orrin West, but the boys biological family is still holding out hope theyll be found safe. They seemed scared, they were losing weight and Orson had scratches on his face, the claim states. While she wanted to get her children back, even going to parenting classes, Dean testified that she had no involvement, nor did she employ anyone else to take the boys. The Wests reported the boys missing from California City, where they had moved from Bakersfield not long before. Defense lawyers Timothy Hennessy and Victor Nasser, representing Trezell West, and Alekxia Torres Stallings and Fatima Rodriguez, representing Jacqueline West, will likely attack the credibility of the children and the techniques law enforcement used when interviewing them. . The boys are now presumed dead, and the Wests are on trial on charges including second-degree murder. Orson reportedly disappeared with his brother, Orrin West, from California City, California at 4:00 p.m. on December 21, 2020. Orsons DNA was excluded as a match, Kim added. Positive Cases Among Kern Residents: 313,377, Recovered and Presumed Recovered Residents: 309,848, Percentage of all cases that are unvaccinated:70.85, Percentage of all hospitalizations that are unvaccinated:83.10, Source: Kern County Public Health Services Department. In Kern County Superior Court, Chief Trial Deputy Eric Smith called upon Jeehak Kim, a criminalist with the Kern Regional Crime Lab who analyzes DNA, to connect those dots. I dont have a bad record.". Trezell West, 35, and. Market data provided by Factset. Tuesday also brought testimony from Jacqueline West's sister, who spoke about messages and calls with Jacqueline. Gardening tools collected from the Wests California City home didnt test positive for blood, Kim said. No suspects or persons of interest have been named in the case at this time. A prosecutor focused on evidence Wednesday demonstrating the movements of two California City toddlers who were reported missing by their adoptive parents in an effort to show theyve been murdered. The adoptive parents of two little boys in California City, CA . Their attorneys say the disappearance remains a missing persons case and that police took the easy way out to explain why they couldnt find the boys charge the parents with murder, KGET reports. A search by law enforcement agencies and community members yielded no results. WNW winds at 15 to 25 mph, decreasing to 5 to 10 mph. DNA results were mixed. Adrian West, now 12, will testify to what he heard and saw about the disappearances of Orrin, 4, and Orson, 3, reported as missing by their parents on December 21, 2020, prosecutor Eric Smith said Tuesday during his opening statement at the trial of Trezell and Jacqueline West, now charged with the boys murder. Legal Statement. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. Kern County Human Services and the state Department of Social Services are named as defendants. Alekxia Torres Stallings, the attorney representing Jacqueline West, elicited testimony showing Kim did not receive the DNA straight from Orrin and Orson. Kim testified he didnt get any other toothbrushes from the West house to process, nor did he get any toys from the Wests house. We want to shed light on this so this wont happen to any other family in Kern County, McCoy said. Almost 15 months ago, Orrin and Orson West's adoptive parents told police the young boys disappeared from the family's Southern California yard, authorities said. 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They lived with their adoptive parents, Trezell and Jacqueline West. When given the chance during cross-examination, Defense Attorney Timothy Hennessy asked Dean if she lives in Texas. Since then, the boys biological family has held monthly prayer vigils and conducted their own searches, but still no sign of the boys. Trezell and Jacqueline have two biological children and two additional adoptive ones. Go to Fox Nationto start a free trial and watch the extensive library from Tomi Lahren, Pete Hegseth, Abby Hornacek, Laura Ingraham, Ainsley Earhardt, Greg Gutfeld,and many more of your favorite Fox News personalities and thrilling blockbusters. When asked by defense attorney Alekxia Torres Stallings, Dean said while she didn't get along with the Wests, she denied being confrontational or argumentative with them, even though such behavior was noted by Child Protective Services. She said she sent Christmas gifts in 2020, including building blocks for Orrin and Orson, and recalls seeing children during a video call, but couldn't remember exactly who all she saw. His parents didnt call for help, he told investigators, and instead discussed keeping Orrins death a secret. Police suspect foul play was involved in the boys' disappearance, according to California City Police Chief Jon Walker. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. Jan. 24The biological father and grandmother of missing California City boys, Orson and Orrin West, filed a complaint in Kern County Superior Court, alleging Kern County and Kern County. In 2018, the boys were removed from their foster home and placed with the West family. "Right now there are people outside the home, talking about where are the boys," said West. Child protective services removed them from their biological mother's home and they were adopted by Trezell and Jacqueline West in September 2020. In June 2017, Dean gave birth to Orson. Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. Orrin and Orson West, 4 and 3, respectively, were reported missing from their home in . Ryan Dean, the birth mother of Orrin and Orson, testified by Zoom after the agent. March 2, 2022 Updated 11:48 AM PT. She took foster parenting classes, obtained CPR certification and had a psychological evaluation, according to the claim. BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) - Two new legal battles in connection to the case of brothers Orrin and Orson West, have been filed by their biological mother Ryan Dean, and family. The boys were reported missing from their family's backyard in the desert town of California City on Dec. 21, 2020. In November 2018, Dean wrote a letter expressing her concerns about the lack of proper care her children received from the Wests, but nothing came of it. Her mother, Moorer, also filed requests to have the children placed in her care. Timothy Hennessy, an attorney for Trezell West, said at a news conference in March that the couple should be considered innocent until proven guilty. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Please log in, or sign up for a new account to continue reading. A California couple told police their 2 adopted sons went missing in 2020. Please log in, or sign up for a new account to continue reading. The court also heard testimony Tuesday from David Hunter, an FBI agent who received a tip about the sighting of the two boys in Arlington, Texas. Jacqueline and Trezell West, the adoptive parents of Orrin and Orson West, sit in Kern County Superior Court at their arraignment March 3, 2022. Sun and clouds mixed. The Wests' three other children also told law enforcement Orrin and Orson hadn't been seen for weeks when the Wests reported them missing on Dec. 21, 2020, according to testimony. Testimony is scheduled to resume Wednesday. "We offered a reward out of our own pockets," the missing boys' uncle, Jamal Watkins, told ABC News. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. That day, the other children were away visiting their grandparents . Prosecutor Eric Smith later asked Dean if she had involvement in a possible. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. The Wests reported the boys missing from their California City home three months later on Dec. 21, 2020. Moorer sought to prove the West boys could reside with her. "I could finally get some sleep now, you know, knowing they're not out just running. "I just know they were really good parents as far as I'm concerned," Wanda West, the grandmother of the toddlers said about the children's adoptive parents in an exclusive interview with ABC News Saturday. You can reach Ishani Desai at 661-395-7417. The couple is charged with second-degree murder in the presumed deaths of their adoptive sons, Orrin and Orson. Kern County District Attorney Cynthia Zimmer said during a March 2 news conference announcing the charges that the boys bodies have never been found. This wide-ranging evidence was presented by a prosecutor Tuesday as he attempted to prove adoptive parents Trezell and Jacqueline West murdered their adoptive children Orrin, 4, and Orson,. (Child Protective Services) failed here in Kern County.. Brothers Orson and Orrin West -- ages 3 and 4, respectively, were reported missing by their adoptive parents, Trezell and Jacqueline West. The boys were adopted in 2019. The murder trial in that case is scheduled to begin May 23. Kern County District Attorney Cynthia Zimmer holds a press conference with law enforcement leaders and prosecutors regarding missing California toddlers Orrin and Orson West, on Mar. "I feel my kids are somewhere around here," she told KBAK/KBFX. Their adoptive parents, Trezell and Jacqueline West, have been charged with their deaths. McCoy said deputies should not have taken the newborn child away from his mother, even to ensure the siblings remained together. I mean, these guys are scavenging the desert themselves. Last week, an FBI agent, during cross-examination by Hennessy, confirmed a tip had been received from someone who reported seeing the boys in Arlington, Texas months after they were reported missing. The adoptive parents of California brothers Orrin and Orson West, who have been missing over a year, have been arrested on suspicion of killing the toddlers. The boys were in the care of another family, but in late 2018, without provocation, CPS placed Orrin and Orson into the Wests home for no reason, according to the claim. The testimony attempted to explain if Orrin and Orson lived with the Wests in their California City home. "Once that didn't pan out, I got in the van. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. Torres Stallings finished by asking if Dean had ever lied law enforcement in this investigation and Dean answered saying she did in the beginning. Dean was excused after testifying for the prosecution but will likely be recalled for further testimony once defense lawyers begin presenting their case. WNW winds at 15 to 25 mph, decreasing to 5 to 10 mph. Charles Pettus, Brenda's son and the biological father of Orson and Orrin, filed a lawsuit against Kern County and the state of California in late 2021. Missing toddlers Orrin and Orson West are shown in undated family photos. "I feel it and I feel like they're in the house and I feel like they did something.". "We're talking about multiple searches, two $10,000 rewards. CALIFORNIA CITY, Calif. Orrin and Orson West were born Cincere and Classic Pettus in 2016 and 2017, respectively. You have permission to edit this article. Orrin and his brother Orson West were reported missing from their family's backyard in the desert town of California City on Dec. 21, 2020. Trezell and Jacqueline have two biological children and two additional adoptive ones. Their adoptive parents, Trezell and Jacqueline West, have been charged with their deaths. They took my family, they took my kids away from me, my kids are my life, Pettus said. The child said Orson West, 3, disappeared soon after. An X-ray did not show any other injuries, according to the suit. The father has also expressed dismay at how the boys' blood relatives were made aware of the children's disappearances . Low 51F. [Featured image: Orrin and Olson West/handout], Rasheem Carter: More Remains Discovered of Man Found Decapitated With Severed Genitals in Mouth, Crime Stories with Nancy Grace: Handsome Tech Star Staggers Begging for Help, STABBED DEAD, Letecia Stauch Murder Trial: Expert Tracks Accused Killer Stepmoms Phone During, After Gannon Stauch Disappearance, subscribe to the Crime Stories with Nancy Grace podcast. The Wests were indicted by a grand jury and arrested Tuesday night. I didnt know they even sent them out to other people.. Wiretapped phone calls. They lived with their adoptive parents, Trezell and Jacqueline West. Adamant testimony. Orrin and Orson West, who were 4 and 3, were reported missing in 2020. After Orson was brought home, a Kern County sheriffs deputy took him away because the Kern County Human Services officials said they remove siblings together, according to the claim. The only time Dean said she became aware the defendants had adopted the boys was after both were reported missing from California City. When the boys' biological mother took the stand via Zoom Tuesday, the defense brought that tip back into question. He added the biological parents of Orrin and Orson didn't contribute to this DNA profile which suggests the toddlers didn't use this toothbrush. Orrin and Orson had been living with Trezell and Jacqueline West in California City at the time of their disappearance, according to the outlet. [We] searched the house, me and my wife," Trezell West told Bakersfield ABC affiliate KERO on Dec. 23. Numerous witnesses everyone from police officers, criminalists and FBI personnel to family members testified as the case resumed hearing testimony after a break in testimony. You can reach Ishani Desai at 661-395-7417. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. He claimed in the lawsuit that Child Protective Services was negligent when they took his biological children away and placed them with a couple outside of friends and family. Minyvonne Burkeis a senior breaking news reporter for NBC News. Charles Pettus, Brenda's son and the biological father of Orson and Orrin, filed a lawsuit against Kern County and the state of California in late 2021. 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"This community has really come together,"23ABC News reporter Bayan Wang told Nancy Grace. After my parents go, its just me and my kids.. It says that the boys seemed "scared" and had lost weight and that Classic "had scratches on his face." Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading. Thank you for reading! IE 11 is not supported. For the latest true crime and justice news,subscribe to the Crime Stories with Nancy Grace podcast. Neighbor surveillance shows Trezell jumping into that van looking for the boys. Other evidence showed the boys didnt contribute to the DNA left behind, according to Kim. You have permission to edit this article. and last updated 5:27 PM, Mar 02, 2022. The adoptive parents, Trezell West, 35, and Jacqueline West, 32, entered pleas in a Bakersfield courtroom Thursday to two counts of second-degree murder, two felony counts of willful cruelty to a child and a misdemeanor charge of making a false report of an emergency. 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The trial is expected to last until early June. All rights reserved. The brothers had been through a lot in their young lives much of it in foster care. Biological mom of two. "No," Dean said as she testified via Zoom, with disbelief flashing across her face. The lack of toothbrushes and dirty diapers led California City police officers to believe the toddlers didnt live in California City, according to prior testimony. Dean had returned from work to find her then-3-month-old Orrin crying uncontrollably, the claim alleges. All rights reserved. She confirmed she has . I dont want my kids to be deceased, I want them to come back home because my kids is all I got, Charles Pettus, biological father to the West boys, said. When the boys' biological mother took the stand via Zoom Tuesday, the defense brought that tip back into question. Dean said in the suit that she fought to get her children back but that she was repeatedly denied. Orrin was taken from Dean on Nov. 13, 2016, after she returned home from work and found the then-3-month-old "crying uncontrollably," the claim says. Once that didn't pan out, I got in the van, I looked down the street, in both directions, it was getting dark, getting cold, I got in the van and I hit a bunch of corners," he toldKBAK/KBFX. Brothers Orson and Orrin West -- ages 3 and 4, respectively, were reported missing by their adoptive parents, Trezell and Jacqueline West. But defense attorneys told the court that police simply didnt conduct a proper investigation, that they only interviewed a handful of 41 registered sex offenders living in California City, that they didnt follow up on tip from a woman in Texas who said she saw the toddlers, and that they never explained surveillance video showing a vehicle leaving the area of the Wests home shortly before Trezell West called 911 to report the boys missing. FBI Agent David Hunter testified before Dean that he received a tip from Arlington, Texas that the boys had been spotted in this town after being asked by defense attorney Timothy Hennessy. Every DNA sample taken from a piece of evidence was compared to Trezell West, Jacqueline West, their two biological children, their two adopted children aside from Orrin and Orson and the biological parents of the toddlers who were reported missing. Video-footage enhancing technology. Lawyer suggests hell be exonerated, Nicole Avant Remembers Late Mother Jacqueline, Opens Children and Family Center in Her Name, US readies second attempt at speedy border asylum screenings, CloseUp: Trump says DeSantis is cratering. The couple fostered them and then officially adopted them in 2019. A huge search by law enforcement agencies and community members failed to find them. The trial of Trezell and Jacqueline West was back in session Tuesday. BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) Emotions were high as Orrin and Orson Wests' biological family learned more about the events leading up to their death. Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. That reward, initially offered at $30,000 by extended members of the West family, has increased to $120,000 -- contributed by multiple parties. He claimed in the lawsuit that Child. Low 51F. Evidence will not be presented again until Monday. Charles Pettus is the biological father of Orrin West, 4, and Orson West, 3, whose birth names were Cinsere and Classic Pettus. Adrian, the couples oldest biological child Orrin, Orson, and two other children were adopted will testify that he awoke one night to odd noises coming from Orrin and that he saw the color drain from his brothers face before he vomited and died, Smith told the court. 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West/Watkins Family "We offered a reward out of our own pockets," the missing boys' uncle, Jamal Watkins, told ABC News. Ryan Dean is the biological mother of Orrin and Orson, born Cincere and Classic. Slight chance of a rain shower. Sorry, there are no recent results for popular videos. 00:00 / 00:00. If you want to plan the perfect spring picnic, food and drink are important, but its certainly not the only factor to consider. You can reach Ishani Desai at 661-395-7417. Their adoptive parents, Trezell and Jacqueline West, have been charged with murder. However, there were mattress covers in which Orrin could not be excluded as the DNAs contributor or it was inconclusive if Orson left the DNA behind.