HAINES CITY, FL -- A 15-year-old mom and her 4-week-old daughter who went missing Friday afternoon caught a flight to Mexico City later that day, according to the Polk County Sheriff's Office.
Detectives have confirmed with U.S. federal agencies that 15-year-old Chawntel B. Smith and her four week old daughter, Asariela Garcia-Smith, flew to Mexico City, Mexico yesterday, Friday, May 1 on a 5:00 p.m. They flew an Aero Mexico flight out of Orlando International Airport. She was traveling using her own passport and officials confirm she had an infant traveling with her. It is unclear why she traveled to Mexico.
Polk Detectives are working with Mexican authorities in an attempt to locate Chawntel and her daughter, who are still missing. Detectives are still investigating the circumstances leading up to her leaving the country, including who, if anyone, helped her with travel arrangements.
Chawntel and Asariela were reported missing by her mother at around 8:40 p.m. on Friday. Detectives say Chawntel took her daughter to a friend's home in Haines City, but later left that home, located at 1424 Wood Avenue, with an unknown woman who friends say had picked her up before. The woman was driving a red SUV, officials said.
No one has heard from her since Chawntel spoke to another resident at that Haines City home just after 4 pm.
Both live at 3466 3rd Ave Bartow, FL with Chawntel's mother, Lorraine Ketchum.
Ketchum had reported her passport missing, as well as Chawntel’s passport were missing. Chawntel had recently talked about going to Guatemala to visit a male who has been alleged as the father of the baby.
Anyone with any information about the activities of Chawntel and Asariela on Friday, May 1, 2009, or if anyone has any knowledge regarding Chawntel's travel arrangements, are encouraged to call the Polk County Sheriff's Office at 863.534.6200 or 1.800.226.0344.
