AUSTIN COLE HERNANDEZ - 10 months (1997) - Tehachapi CA

Tehachapi CA ---- April 28, 1997, is a day
Rhonda Acord will never forget. It’s the day she came home to find her
then-husband, Gilbert Hernandez, and 10-month-old son Austin gone.Acord
said she never thought Hernandez would kidnap their son, but Acord's
family said Hernandez would often make threats about leaving and taking
Austin with him.Austin's aunt, Sarah Levalley, said, "When he
would make the threats he would say that 'If you ever want me to leave,
I’ll leave, but I’m taking Austin with me,' which was a huge red flag
for me.”
But no one would have ever imagined Austin would be missing for 13
years.For Acord, the hardest part is not knowing how her son is
doing.“Not knowing if he is safe, if he’s been fed, if he’s
dirty, just not being taken care of like he should," said Acord. "If
he’s running from place to place to try and stay hidden, that’s not a
life for a child.”For much of the family, one of the most
frustrating parts is knowing other people, like Hernandez’s family,
could know where the missing boy is.Austin's great aunt, Terry
Miller, said, “The police have been in contact with them. They know he
is a wanted felon. They know he stole a child, and so it’s
disheartening.”Over the past 13 years there have been some leads,
but now the case is cold and the family is hoping Facebook will help
bring Austin home.“We want his picture to get out there. We want
Gil’s picture to get out there, and to see if anyone has seen him or
knows where he is at or has any kind of clue to come let us know,” said
Acord.The family is hoping the more people that can see Austin's
baby photo, aged progressed photo, and Hernandez's photo, the greater
chance there is of finding Austin.And so, the family is asking
everyone to log on to Facebook and ask Austin Hernandez to be your
friend.If you have any information you are urged to call your
local law enforcement or the National Center for Missing and Exploited
Children at 1-800-THE-LOST.To become Austin's friend, you can
follow this link:https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000761958668&ref=ts
And to view Austin's missing child poster, you can follow this link:http://www.missingkids.com/missingkids/servlet/pubcasesearchservlet?act=viewposter&casenum=835169&orgprefix=ncmc&searchlang=en_us

Above: Austin Hernandez in 1997 (left) and an age-progressed image to 13, circa 2009 (right)

Austin Cole Hernandez

Last seen in Tehachapi, California on April 28, 1997

Vital statistics: Hispanic male. Born on June 10, 1996. Brown hair, brown eyes. Was ten months at the time.

NCIC number: M-039798486

Circumstances: He is being concealed by his father, Gilbert Arredondo Hernandez, from his mother. A photo and vital statistics are posted below. He had threatened to leave Austin's mother, Rhonda Acord, and take Austin with him. A FBI warrant for unlawful flight to avoid prosecution was issued for him on November 4, 1997. They may be in Las Vegas, Nevada, Los Angeles County or San Bernadino County in California. They may be traveling in a brown 1986 Nissan Maxima with California license plates 1NRE732. Gilbert's family is still believed to be in contact with him.


Above: Gilbert Hernandez in 1997 (left) and an age-progressed image to 46, circa 2011 (right)

Vital statistics: Hispanic male. Born on March 15, 1965. Black hair, brown eyes. He has a scar on the back of his head and he may wear a moustache. His nickname is "Gil Junior." Was thirty-two at the time.

If you have any information as to Austin's whereabouts, please contact the Kern Sheriff's Department at 661-861-3110. Any information received can be kept confidential.

Information used to compile this case file came from the following sources:
The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children
The Charley Project
The Doe Network
California Missing Persons Registry
NamUs National Missing Persons Data System
Bakersfield News and Kern County News

http://www.forthelost.org/family/ahernandez.html