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Suspect due in court, as search for missing 14-month-old continues

WXXI News

Authorities have canceled a statewide AMBER Alert, but continue to search for a missing 14-month-old toddler on a Wayne County farm.

State Police canceled the AMBER Alert for Owen Hidalgo-Calderon at 9 a.m. Tuesday. Sheriff Barry Virts says 173 people were involved in the search on Monday in Sodus, after the toddler's mother, 18-year-old Selena Hidalgo-Calderon, was found dead in a wooded area of the farm last Wednesday.

Virts says they are looking at a number of aspects to this case right now.

“We have reason to believe that we have evidence here and we’re going to continue to search this farm," Virts said. "We’re also running a parallel investigation with the assistance of the New York State Police. They’re assisting us in our AMBER and we have received 47 calls in regards to the AMBER Alert that they’re assisting us with.”

The sheriff did not detail what kinds of evidence may have been discovered, but said it would be difficult for a 14-month-old boy to survive without any help.

"Again, it's my hope that Owen is alive, but we have to run two parallel investigations," Virts said. "He's a 14-month-old toddler. To sustain life by himself would be very difficult, so we're hoping that he is alive, but we're also searching that possibility might not be true.”

Search teams will be out again on Tuesday.

Selena’s boyfriend, 25-year-old Alberto Reyes has been charged with tampering with evidence. He is due in court Tuesday for a preliminary hearing.

Also, federal immigration officials are involved. They say Reyes is a Mexican citizen who is in the United States illegally and had previously been convicted for illegal entry into the country.

Randy Gorbman is WXXI's Director of News and Public Affairs. Randy manages the day-to-day operations of WXXI News on radio, television, and online.
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