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. Their biological father, Charles Pettus, has raised concerns about the adoption process and has filed a lawsuit against Kern County officials. Now, the boys . The toddlers' biological mother, Ryan Dean, said she is "devastated.". Adoptive parents killed California brothers Orrin and Orson West months Im going to keep going until God calls me, Im here until the end.. They lived with their adoptive parents, Trezell and Jacqueline West. Zimmer previously said that a week after the boys were reported missing "crucial information came to light" that brought in the involvement of police in Bakersfield. CALIFORNIA CITY, Calif. Orrin and Orson West were born Cincere and Classic Pettus in 2016 and 2017, respectively. "Im not a criminal. For the latest true crime and justice news,subscribe to the Crime Stories with Nancy Grace podcast. If you want to plan the perfect spring picnic, food and drink are important, but its certainly not the only factor to consider. Trezell and Jacqueline West both pleaded not guilty to a pair of second-degree murder charges, two counts of willful cruelty to children and a single misdemeanor count of falsely reporting an emergency in the deaths of the West boys. The Department of Social Services said it could not comment, and the human services department could not immediately be reached for comment. Unfortunately, there's been no sign of the boys.". The address where the caller reported seeing the boys and the address given by Dean are roughly 2.5 miles apart, according to an online mapping website. 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. The missing boys lived with the Wests since 2018. Apr. Later that day, a Memorial Hospital staff member informed Dean that Kern County Human Services would be taking Orrin because they believed he had been abused, the claim alleges. 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. The Bakersfield Police Department took over the investigation seven months ago insisting its not a cold case. The family said it's been a difficult time for them learning that the. Parents of missing California City boys charged with murder - Los Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Dean was excused after testifying for the prosecution but will likely be recalled for further testimony once defense lawyers begin presenting their case. The family previously lived in Bakersfield, about 60 miles west of California City. Orrin and Orson also had visitations with Dean when they were placed with the Wests. 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. 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. Brothers, 3 & 4, 'looked skinny & one had a bruise on his neck' before Sun and clouds mixed. From left, defense attorney Victor Nasser, defendant Trezell West, defense attorney Timothy Hennessy, defendant Jacqueline West and defense attorney Alekxia Torres Stallings listen as the prosecution delivers opening statements on March 28. Who is Orson and Orrin West biological mother? - Vim Buzz Dean said in the suit that the state "had a duty" to protect her children but instead placed them in a home that was a "state-created danger." I mean, these guys are scavenging the desert themselves. Kim also tested a second toothbrush and conducted a paternity test on the DNA to see which parent contributed to the DNA profile. Timothy Hennessy, an attorney for Trezell West, said at a news conference in March that the couple should be considered innocent until proven guilty. McCoy said he based the request for $40 million on similar cases. She took foster parenting classes, obtained CPR certification and had a psychological evaluation, according to the claim. Trezell and Jacqueline have two biological children and two additional adoptive ones. Since then, the boys biological family has held monthly prayer vigils and conducted their own searches, but still no sign of the boys. "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. The bodies of the children haven't been found. But Smith argued that the boys died months before they were reported missing, in September 2020, and that for Orrin, at least, the death came while they still lived in Bakersfield. Activist glues palm to podium on live, Erdogan says Turkish forces killed IS chief in Syria, El Chapo sons charged with smuggling cheap fentanyl, UN agency suspends food aid to Ethiopias Tigray, Gwyneth Paltrow denied attorneys fees in ski crash, DA to again retry penalty phase for ex-deputy who, 1 arrested after vehicle pursuit, cocaine and gun, McCarthy underscores bipartisan US support in speech, Waste of time: Community college transfers hit, BestReviews.com - Top gifts to make everyone happy this spring, Surprise your mom with one of these Mothers Day, Mothers Day inspo: This foot massager has 20,000, Drew Barrymores Walmart collection is perfect for, Best Mothers Day gifts for the budding plant mom, Best Mothers Day Gifts for moms obsessed with books, Mental Health Mondays: Exercises for your brain, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. and last updated 5:27 PM, Mar 02, 2022. 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, 3, West before the boys were reported missing from California City. The boys are now presumed dead, and the Wests are on trial on charges including second-degree murder. That reward, initially offered at $30,000 by extended members of the West family, has increased to $120,000 -- contributed by multiple parties. This is a tragic accident is what the evidence will show, said Timothy Hennessy, one of Trezell Wests attorneys, in his opening statement. 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. Orrin and Orson West, who were 4 and 3, were reported missing in 2020. [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. Alekxia Torres Stallings, the attorney representing Jacqueline West, elicited testimony showing Kim did not receive the DNA straight from Orrin and Orson. Agent Hunter said he passed that information along to the Bakersfield Police Department. You have permission to edit this article. All rights reserved. Where are the boys? The tragic disappearance of 2 children from You've successfully subscribed to this newsletter! Orrin and Orson were removed from her home after an unfounded accusation regarding her biological daughter, Sanders said. West Trial Day 12: Biological mother of Orrin and Orson testifies - MSN Legal Statement. A 10-year-old boy told investigators he watched his toddler brother die one night and that another disappeared after he heard a loud thud in the night. The adoptive parents of missing California boys Orrin and Orson West 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. BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) Since the beginning of the West trial, the court has heard from the defense that at some point, police received a tip about a possible sighting of the Orrin and Orson in Arlington, Texas. In 2019 the West Family officially adopted Cincere and Classic and changed their names to Orrin and Orson West. Story tips can be sent to yael.halon@fox.com. They lived with their adoptive parents, Trezell and Jacqueline West. 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. "I just want justice for my kids, and you know what these people did to me and the torment that I had to go through to find out what was going on with my kids," Pettus said Thursday. Ryan Dean said she tried multiple times to regain custody of Cinsere and Classic Pettus but was denied. "We have not ruled anyone out," Walker said. High near 70F. Their adoptive parents, Trezell and Jacqueline West, have been charged with their deaths. Video-footage enhancing technology. The Wests are charged with second-degree murder, among other offenses, and face life in prison if convicted. You can also follow her at @_ishanidesai on Twitter. Speed. Adamant testimony. BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KABC) -- A man is speaking out and pleading for justice for his two young children who investigators believe were murdered by their adoptive parents in Kern County's California City. 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. 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. "No," Dean said as she testified via Zoom, with disbelief flashing across her face. The family has four other children, two of them also adopted, and all are in protective custody. Orrin & Orson West, disappeared from California City, California at 4:00 p.m. on December 21, 2020. The county has 45 days to respond, he added. West Trial Day 12: Biological mother of Orrin and Orson testifies Biological mom of two. Orrin and Orson Wests' biological family want answers - KERO 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. The Wests reported Orrin and Orson were missing in December 2020. Zimmer alleged in the March news conference the boys were murdered three months prior to their adoptive parents reporting them missing. This past December, Orrin and Orson's biological father, Charles Pettus, filed a lawsuit against Kern County, the county's child protective services agency, and the State of California,. Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? Ryan Dean, the biological mother of Orrin and Orson, and Dana Moorer, the boys maternal grandmother, allege in the claim that Kern County Human Services ignored Deans repeated reports of suspected abuse while the West boys stayed with Trezell and Jacqueline West before their adoption. Get all the stories you need-to-know from the most powerful name in news delivered first thing every morning to your inbox. Hennessy represents Trezell West. Sixteen months have passed since toddlers Orrin and Orson West were first reported missing. You can also follow her at @idesai98 on Twitter. At this point, Dean said she started seeing a change in her children. 00:00 / 00:00. Cinsere, then 3 months old, was removed from his mother's care in 2016 after Dean said she came home and found him "crying uncontrollably," according to the lawsuit, filed June 17, which alleges civil rights violation and wrongful death. 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. Jacqueline and Trezell West, the adoptive parents of Orrin and Orson West, sit in Kern County Superior Court at their arraignment March 3, 2022. But now the adoptive dad's family says they're targets -- not from authorities -- but from the public. Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. DNA results from one toothbrush collected from the West home showed it was used by a woman, he added. Biological dad searches for sons who disappeared from back patio. "I just feel like I didnt deserve this," Dean said at a news conference Tuesday. Mother Of Boys Allegedly Killed By Adoptive Parents Sues Over Kids The suit says no allegations of abuse were lodged against Dean when Cinsere was removed. Further, Adrian told detectives, Orson disappeared not long afterward, just days after the family moved to Bakersfield. Tuesday also brought testimony from Jacqueline West's sister, who spoke about messages and calls with Jacqueline. A dirty diaper showed at least two people contributed to the DNA profile, Kim testified. An urgent search for two California City, California, toddlers missing since Dec. 21, 2020, continues. They could face 30 years to life in prison if convicted. Please log in, or sign up for a new account to continue reading. Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading. "I don't have not one evil bone in my body, and for this to happen to me, it's a lot for me," Dean said. Thank you for reading! It was inconclusive if Orrins DNA could match what was in the diaper. 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. The Wests have pleaded not guilty to the charges against them, which include second-degree murder, involuntary manslaughter, child cruelty, falsely reporting an emergency, and conspiracy. For Pettus, who lost another child in an accident, hes remaining hopeful he will see his sons again. Family of missing toddlers speaks out, says they're public targets WNW winds at 15 to 25 mph, decreasing to 5 to 10 mph. That year, Trezell West, 34, and Jacqueline West, 31, became the boy's foster parents. You can also follow her at @_ishanidesai on Twitter. Orsons DNA was excluded as a match, Kim added. Their adoptive parents, Trezell and Jacqueline West, have been charged with murder. Classic was removed days after his birth in 2017 because the human services department said "they like to keep siblings together," the lawsuit says. 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. Dean had returned from work to find her then-3-month-old Orrin crying uncontrollably, the claim alleges. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. 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. "It is misguided to blame uncles and aunts and grandparents for children who are missing that we love and care about and are trying to find," Watkins said. "You were aggressive and confrontational with (Jacqueline West), correct?" Trezell, Jacqueline West plead not guilty - KERO That day, the other children were away visiting their grandparents . 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,. or redistributed. The bodies of Orrin and Orson have not been found. Alekxia Torres Stallings, attorney for Jacqueline West, walks between the defendants. West trial: DNA evidence presents mixed picture of Cal City boys' whereabouts, West trial: Biological mother of Cal City toddlers testifies, West trial: Witness recalls late September 2020 night, West trial: Prosecutor focuses on surveillance footage in murder trial of adoptive parents, Defense attorney targets interview of Cal City boys adoptive mother, West trial: Week 2 round-up of evidence from California City boys' adoptive parents' murder trial, Family of adoptive Cal City brothers grapples with one of their own facing murder charges, Adoptive mother of Cal City boys adamantly denies murder in video, Foster mother of 2 California City children testifies in murder trial, UPDATED: Cal City police chief testifies about defendant's demeanor, investigation into missing adoptive toddlers, Defense weaves doubt into Cal City police investigation of missing toddlers, The world is watching as Cal City murder trial unfolds, Defense attorney attacks officers police report about missing Cal City boys investigation, Video shows police confronting adoptive father over conflicting accounts of Cal City toddlers disappearance, Murder case against Cal City boys' adoptive parents to hinge on testimony from defendants other children, VIDEO: Christmas wonderland featuring the Grinch Mobile, Graphic Content: 2014 homicide of Abel Trujillo, Kern County Public Health Services Department, LOIS HENRY: 'Vibration' in Isabella Dam power plant causes temporary halt of Kern River outflows, Larry Hallum lifted people up through education, inspiration and love, Bakersfield doctor sentenced to 1 year, 1 day in prison for evading paying $300K in taxes, Chevron braces for possible flooding in Kern River Oil Field, LOIS HENRY: Kern River water heads north through flood channel but wont hit Tulare Lake yet, PHOTO GALLERY: Day 2 of ANRA season-opening weekend at Famoso Dragstrip, PHOTO GALLERY: April 22 racing at Bakersfield Speedway, PHOTO GALLERY: Day 1 of ANRA season-opening weekend at Famoso Dragstrip, PHOTO GALLERY: April 29 racing at Bakersfield Speedway, PHOTO GALLERY: Day 2 from ANRA season-opener at Famoso Dragstrip, PHOTO GALLERY: ARCA Menards Series West Event at KCRP, PHOTO GALLERY: NJBA Spring Fling boat racing at Lake Ming, PHOTO GALLERY: Day 2 of NJBA Spring Fling boat racing at Lake Ming, PHOTO GALLERY: Saturday night racing at Bakersfield Speedway. Each child was 10 or younger at the time of their initial interviews. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Ryan Dean, the biological mother of both Orrin and Orson later testified that she had an apartment in Arlington. The Disappearance of Orrin and Orson West - True Crime Diva 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. Dean lost custody of then 3-month-old Orrin after he broke his leg while he was being cared for by Charles Pettus, the father of Orson. In 2018, the boys were removed from their foster home and placed with the West family. The claim, a precursor to a lawsuit, states Trezell and Jacqueline West officially adopted the boys in September 2020, though the brothers started living with the couple in late 2018. Orrins biological father, Charles Pettus, said he gave Orrin two baths that day and nothing else happened, according to the claim. Activist glues palm to podium on live, Erdogan says Turkish forces killed IS chief in Syria, El Chapo sons charged with smuggling cheap fentanyl, UN agency suspends food aid to Ethiopias Tigray, Gwyneth Paltrow denied attorneys fees in ski crash, DA to again retry penalty phase for ex-deputy who, 1 arrested after vehicle pursuit, cocaine and gun, McCarthy underscores bipartisan US support in speech, Waste of time: Community college transfers hit, BestReviews.com - Top gifts to make everyone happy this spring, Surprise your mom with one of these Mothers Day, Mothers Day inspo: This foot massager has 20,000, Drew Barrymores Walmart collection is perfect for, Best Mothers Day gifts for the budding plant mom, Best Mothers Day Gifts for moms obsessed with books, Mental Health Mondays: Exercises for your brain, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. 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. No suspects or persons of interest have been named in the case at this time. Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading. "It's like people don't realize we are grieving we are hurting just like they are," West said. It says that the boys seemed "scared" and had lost weight and that Classic "had scratches on his face." McCoy said deputies should not have taken the newborn child away from his mother, even to ensure the siblings remained together. After less than a year, the adoptive parents reported that the boys were missing from their backyard in the desert town of California City, according to the lawsuit. Child protective services removed them from their biological mother's home and they were adopted by Trezell and Jacqueline West in September 2020. Dean immediately took Orrin to the emergency room at Memorial Hospital and learned her sons legs were broken, the claim states. Kim was also tasked with analyzing DNA contained in mattress covers and blankets heaped on the childrens bunk beds in California City. California police are still searching for two children who were reported missing by their adopted parents last month, Fox Nation host Nancy Grace said in a new episode of "Crime Stories.". The agencys disregard of her concerns for the boys led to their deaths, according to the claim. Ryan Dean, the birth mother of Orrin and Orson, testified by Zoom after the agent. [We] searched the house, me and my wife," Trezell West told Bakersfield ABC affiliate KERO on Dec. 23. Now they're charged with murder. I dont have a bad record.". Kern County District Attorney's Office via AP, Biological mom of two brothers allegedly killed by adoptive parents files lawsuit, two California brothers alleged to have been killed by their adoptive parents, should be considered innocent until proven guilty. A huge search by law enforcement agencies and community members failed to find them. The biological mother and maternal grandmother of Orrin and Orson West two California City brothers who were adopted by a couple now facing murder charges in their deaths filed a claim against the Kern County Department of Human Services seeking $40 million and accusing the agency of negligence in allowing the couple to adopt them. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Wests are accused of killing brothers Orrin West, 4, and Orson West, 3, before reporting them missing in December 2020. Jacqueline West in other messages that day says she believes Orrin and Orson had certain characteristics from their biological parents, Perez said. 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. "They had no emotion on their face," Dean said of both adoptive parents, describing when she approached them to ask what happened. Trezell West, 35, and. DNA evidence presents mixed picture of toddlers' whereabouts DNA swabs. The brothers, Orrin West, 4, and Orson West, 3, had been put up for adoption by their biological mother, Ryan Dean, shortly after they were born, KBAK/KBFX reports. The boys were adopted in 2019. However, Hunter testified he didn't make a report documenting if he followed up on this information he only passed it along to the Bakersfield Police Department. Please log in, or sign up for a new account to continue reading. When the boys' biological mother took the stand via Zoom Tuesday, the defense brought that tip back into question. She testified she went to Trezell and Jacqueline West's house to ask what happened soon after learning. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. He heard the loud thump in the night never saw his brother again. Biological Mother of Orrin and Orson West files a lawsuit - KBAK West said he realized that he had "left the gate open, and I panicked, came inside the house, searched the house, me and my wife. Orrin and Orson West: Trial Begins for Parents of Missing Toddlers, Charged With Murder by KC Wildmoon March 29, 2023 A 10-year-old boy told investigators he watched his toddler brother die one night and that another disappeared after he heard a "loud thud" in the night. Due to a paternity test done before the children were reported missing, investigators were able to gather DNA profiles for Orrin and Orson. Copyright 2023 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This same child heard a thud in Orsons room one night when the Wests first moved to California City and never saw the 3-year-old again, according to Smith. The suit alleges that shortly after they moved in with the West family, Dean "began to see a change in her children." Dean was told at the hospital that Kern County Human Services would be taking the child and placing him with a foster family because hospital staff members believed he had been abused. The brothers,Orrin West, 4, and Orson West, 3, had been put up for adoption by their biological mother,Ryan Dean, shortly after they were born, KBAK/KBFX reports. You can reach Ishani Desai at 661-395-7417. Closing arguments are expected to be given around mid-May. Other witnesses called to the stand included several Bakersfield Police officers and detectives charged with gathering evidence from wiretap phone calls and DNA profiles. Smith has said jurors will hear from each of the four children, who were taken into protective custody. There were numerous items from which Kim collected DNA such as toothbrushes, blankets, mattress pads, car seats and gardening tools which were once in the California City home of defendants Jacqueline and Trezell West. Prosecutor Eric Smith later asked Dean if she had involvement in a possible. The biological mother and maternal grandmother of Orrin and Orson West two California City brothers who were adopted by a couple now facing murder charges in their deaths filed a. Trezell and Jacqueline West, the adoptive parents of Orrin and Orson West, appeared in court for the first time Thursday after being arrested for two counts of second-degree murder, two counts of . If you want to plan the perfect spring picnic, food and drink are important, but its certainly not the only factor to consider. Orrin And Orson West Parents, Adoptive Parents & Biological Parents 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. Photo courtesy of the California City Police Department, Biological mother, grandmother of Cal City boys seek $40M from county, Judge grants motion to prohibit Cal City brothers' adoptive parents from visiting their other children, Judge hears motion to bar Cal City toddlers adoptive parents from visiting their other kids, JOSE GASPAR: Looking for Trezell and Jacqueline West, Judge grants gag order in case against adoptive parents of Cal City boys, Adoptive parents of Cal City boys plead not guilty to murder charges.