Pueblo girl still missing after kidnapped by non-custodial mother
PUEBLO, Colo. (KRDO) -- The Pueblo Police Department said it has been three days since Cassandra Bastian kidnapped her daughter, Rachel.
According to police, Cassandra didn’t have custodial rights for Rachel. Instead, Rachel lived with her stepfather and legal guardian, Sean Bastian. He said they were in the process of a custody battle which likely led to the kidnapping.
On Sunday, Sean allowed Rachel to go on a walk with Cassandra. However, the two never returned. They were last seen in a red Ford Explorer with Texas plates S63 XSJ in the 900 block of West U.S. Highway 50 in Pueblo.
When 13 Investigates asked why he allowed someone with no custodial or visitation rights to spend time with Rachel, he said he wanted the nine-year-old to have a relationship with her mother.
Now the family is worried about Rachel’s safety.
“I haven't heard from (Cassandra) or Rachel, and we're all very worried because we love Rachel,” said Shawn Bastian, Rachel’s brother.
13 Investigates found Rachel has multiple assault and menacing charges going back to 2009. The family is concerned the people Cassandra is involved with may hurt Rachel.
“I don't think she would do anything directly to Rachel, but I feel like her negligence could put Rachel into harmful situations,” Shawn said.
“I don't know who she is with or what guys she hangs out with that could do something to her, to either one of them,” Sean Bastian, Rachel’s legal guardian, said.
On Wednesday morning, more than two days since Rachel was kidnapped, the Colorado Bureau of Investigations issued an Endangered Alert. However, the family wants an Amber Alert to be sent out.
“Any child that's been abducted should get the benefits of an Amber Alert because just the fact that they have been abducted and kidnaped means they're in danger,” Sean said.
However, the Pueblo Police Department said the situation doesn’t meet the requirements of an Amber Alert. According to the Colorado Bureau of Investigations, which issues Amber Alerts, an abducted child must be in “immediate danger of serious bodily harm or death.” Pueblo Police said Rachel is not in immediate danger. But the agency has issued an arrest warrant for Cassandra and is actively searching for her and Rachel.
“The part that's concerning us is a court made a decision to take away (Cassandra’s) custodial rights,” said Frank Ortega, the public information officer for the Pueblo Police Department. “So there's obviously some concern with the way she would watch Rachel and watch out for Rachel.”
As of Wednesday night, the Pueblo Police told 13 Investigates they are unsure of their location and don’t have any leads at this time. Rachel’s family just wants her back home.
“We miss her and just hope that everything can go back to as close to normal as it was,” Shawn said.
