For the latest true crime and justice news,subscribe to the Crime Stories with Nancy Grace podcast. Prosecutor Eric Smith later asked Dean if she had involvement in a possible. West Trial: Children's testimony, more on Arlington addresses expected No matter how long it takes, how hard its going to be, I wont give, I will never give up.. You can also follow her at @_ishanidesai on Twitter. They lived with their adoptive parents, Trezell and Jacqueline West. Ryan Dean said she tried multiple times to regain custody of Cinsere and Classic Pettus but was denied. Kim was also tasked with analyzing DNA contained in mattress covers and blankets heaped on the childrens bunk beds in California City. [We] searched the house, me and my wife," Trezell West told Bakersfield ABC affiliate KERO on Dec. 23. Story tips can be sent to yael.halon@fox.com. Market data provided by Factset. Ryan Dean, the biological mother of both Orrin and Orson later testified that she had an apartment in Arlington. All rights reserved. Dean said she has an apartment in Arlington and goes back and forth between residences. Further, Adrian told detectives, Orson disappeared not long afterward, just days after the family moved to Bakersfield. Kern County District Attorney Cynthia Zimmer announced that the investigation conducted has revealed that Orrin and Orson West are deceased, The investigation has also . 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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. You can also follow her at @_ishanidesai on Twitter. Attorneys for the Wests entered not guilty pleas on behalf of their clients, who face second-degree murder charges in the boys' deaths. 3, 2022. As the community continues holding vigils, the family is reminding everyone they're in deep pain too. The suit says no allegations of abuse were lodged against Dean when Cinsere was removed. If you want to plan the perfect spring picnic, food and drink are important, but its certainly not the only factor to consider. You've successfully subscribed to this newsletter! I dont want my kids to be deceased, I want them to come back home because my kids is all I got, Charles Pettus, biological father to the West boys, said. 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. If you want to plan the perfect spring picnic, food and drink are important, but its certainly not the only factor to consider. The father has also expressed dismay at how the boys' blood relatives were made aware of the children's disappearances . They took my family, they took my kids away from me, my kids are my life, Pettus said. "No," Dean said as she testified via Zoom, with disbelief flashing across her face. 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. He claimed in the lawsuit that Child. Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. 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. DNA evidence presents mixed picture of toddlers' whereabouts The claim states Dean had no prior criminal record nor any allegations of abuse against her at the time Kern County Human Services unlawfully took her child.. asked Torres Stallings. Winds WNW at 15 to 25 mph.. Overcast. Tuesday, Dean testified that when the boys were less than a year old, Orrin, born Cincere, broke his leg. Orrin West and Orson West Falsely Reported Missing: DA - Law & Crime California couple charged with killing adopted sons missing since 2020 I didnt know they even sent them out to other people.. Dean testified she lives in the Arlington, Texas area. Brothers Orson and Orrin West -- ages 3 and 4, respectively, were reported missing by their adoptive parents, Trezell and Jacqueline West. The only time Dean said she became aware the defendants had adopted the boys was after both were reported missing from California City. She confirmed she has an apartment in Arlington. Adoptive parents killed California brothers Orrin and Orson West months Jan. 24The biological father and grandmother of missing California City boys, Orson and Orrin West, filed a complaint in Kern County Superior Court, alleging Kern County and Kern County. Defense attorneys have argued authorities immediately focused on the Wests and failed to consider others including members of the boys biological family while conducting their investigation. "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. You can reach Ishani Desai at 661-395-7417. When asked by defense attorney Alekxia Torres Stallings, Dean said while she didn't get along with the Wests, she denied being confrontational or argumentative with them, even though such behavior was noted by Child Protective Services. Kim testified he didnt get any other toothbrushes from the West house to process, nor did he get any toys from the Wests house. Copyright 2023 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. Adamant testimony. KGET 17 News on Twitter: "Jacqueline West in other messages that day 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. 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 trial is set to resume Wednesday morning at 9:00. Orrin and Orson also had visitations with Dean when they were placed with the Wests. Winds WNW at 15 to 25 mph.. Overcast. Crime Stories with Nancy Grace on Fox Nation: Missing Boys. That day, the other children were away visiting their grandparents . BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) - Two new legal battles in connection to the case of brothers Orrin and Orson West, have been filed by their biological mother Ryan Dean, and family. Orrin and Orson had been living with Trezell and Jacqueline West in California City at the time of their disappearance, according to the outlet. Kern County Human Services and the state Department of Social Services are named as defendants. Charles Pettus, the boys' biological father, says it's been tormenting having to find out what happened to his children. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. McCoy said he based the request for $40 million on similar cases. Orrin & Orson West, disappeared from California City - TikTok 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. Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. 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. Orrin and Orson. 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. Orrin and Orson Wests' biological family want answers - KERO BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KBAK/KBFX) The lawyer of Ryan Dean, the biological mother of Orrin and Orson West, says, once she heard from Kern County District Attorney, Cynthia Zimmer last. After Orson was brought home, a Kern County sheriffs deputy took him away because the Kern County Human Services officials said they remove siblings together, according to the claim. Q&A: How does the grand jury process work? She testified she went to Trezell and Jacqueline West's house to ask what happened soon after learning. A huge search by law enforcement agencies and community members failed to find them. 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. Biological father of missing Kern County boys speaks out after adoptive Now they're charged with murder. West/Watkins Family "We offered a reward out of our own pockets," the missing boys' uncle, Jamal Watkins, told ABC News. Yael Halon is a reporter for Fox News Digital. DNA swabs. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. Video-footage enhancing technology. Trezell West said hed accidentally left a back gate open, as CrimeOnline previously reported, while he stepped back into the house, as CrimeOnline previously reported. Brothers Orson and Orrin West -- ages 3 and 4, respectively, were reported missing by their adoptive parents, Trezell and Jacqueline West. 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All rights reserved. West Trial Day 6: Former foster mother testifies Minyvonne Burkeis a senior breaking news reporter for NBC News. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. 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. "I could finally get some sleep now, you know, knowing they're not out just running. An X-ray did not show any other injuries, according to the suit. Each child was 10 or younger at the time of their initial interviews. The trial of Trezell and Jacqueline West was back in session Tuesday. The missing boys lived with the Wests since 2018. "I feel my kids are somewhere around here," she told KBAK/KBFX. Trezell and Jacqueline West Accused of Killing Orrin and Orson West in Biological mother, grandmother of Cal City boys seek $40M from county 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. The boys were reported missing from their family's backyard in the desert town of California City on Dec. 21, 2020. DNA results were mixed. Dean said she wasn't present when it happened, but shortly afterward, the Department of Human Services took the boys from her. After my parents go, its just me and my kids.. "We're talking about multiple searches, two $10,000 rewards. Ryan Dean, the biological mother of Orrin and Orson, was questioned by a defense attorney, Alekxia Torres Stallings, about whether she remembers an altercation between herself and Jacqueline West. The agencys disregard of her concerns for the boys led to their deaths, according to the claim. Last month, adoptive parents Trazell and Jacqueline West were arrested on murder charges. The murder trial in that case is scheduled to begin May 23. Torres Stallings also asked Dean if she's ever lied to law enforcement. Fox Nationprograms are viewable on-demand and from your mobile device app, but only for Fox Nation subscribers. Jacqueline and Trezell West have pleaded not guilty to second-degree murder, involuntary manslaughter and other charges in the deaths of Orrin, 4, and Orson, 3. Low 51F. A request for comment from Charles Pettus attorney was not returned. Orsons DNA was excluded as a match, Kim added. Market data provided by Factset. Where are the boys? The tragic disappearance of 2 children from 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. The Wests three other children also told law enforcement Orrin and Orson hadnt been seen for weeks when the Wests reported them missing on Dec. 21, 2020, according to testimony. "We have not ruled anyone out," Walker said. Brothers, 3 & 4, 'looked skinny & one had a bruise on his neck' before 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. Authorities have received more than 2,000 tips and are now using imaging devices at the adoptive parents' home to search for the boys. At this point, Dean said she started seeing a change in her children. 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." Charles Pettus is the biological father of Orrin West, 4, and Orson West, 3, whose birth names were Cinsere and Classic Pettus. . The adoptive parents of missing California boys Orrin and Orson West The Wests are accused of killing brothers Orrin West, 4, and Orson West, 3, before reporting them missing in December 2020. 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. They seemed scared, they were losing weight and Orson had scratches on his face, the claim states. The Bakersfield Police Department took over the investigation seven months ago insisting its not a cold case. The boys' biological family would like the children to be known by their birth names instead of the names given to them by their adoptive parents. One child, 10 at the time, told authorities he saw Orrin West, 4, die at the familys apartment in Bakersfield in September 2020, shortly before the family moved to California City, according to prosecutor Eric Smith. "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. Moorer sought to prove the West boys could reside with her. Slight chance of a rain shower. He said he is unsure why the deputy removed the child because of facts being withheld by Kern County Human Services. Orrin and Orson West, 4 and 3, respectively, were reported missing from their home in . Defense attorneys noted how other sleeping materials produced inconclusive results as to whether the kids left behind their DNA. Torres Stallings, who represents Jacqueline West, focused on one such visit. The adoptive parents of two little boys in California City, CA . "They had no emotion on their face," Dean said of both adoptive parents, describing when she approached them to ask what happened. 25Wiretapped phone calls. They were 4 and 3 at the time they disappeared from their adoptive home. The brothers had been through a lot in their young lives much of it in foster care. Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? Sun and clouds mixed. The couple is charged with second-degree murder in the presumed deaths of their adoptive sons, Orrin and Orson. 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The couple fostered them and then officially adopted them in 2019. #WestsTrial 25 Apr 2023 21:27:33 "I realized that I left the back gate open and I panicked and came inside the house. Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. She is seeking $40 million in damages. Wiretapped phone calls. The family has four other children, two of them also adopted, and all are in protective custody. The bodies of the children haven't been found. Apr. Family of missing toddlers speaks out, says they're public targets That day, the other children were away visiting their grandparents. BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) Emotions were high as Orrin and Orson Wests' biological family learned more about the events leading up to their death. Closing arguments are expected to be given around mid-May. 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. You have permission to edit this article. Trezell West, 35, and. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. But now the adoptive dad's family says they're targets -- not from authorities -- but from the public. Brothers, 3 & 4, 'looked skinny & one had a bruise on his neck' before "You were aggressive and confrontational with (Jacqueline West), correct?" Dean took Orrin to Memorial Hospital, where it was discovered his legs were broken. West Trial, Day 12: Were the boys seen in Arlington, Texas? Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. 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. Legal Statement. Give Light and the People Will Find Their Own Way, More Kern County News Coverage from 23ABC. The family said it's been a difficult time for them learning that the. The Wests reported the boys missing from their California City home three months later on Dec. 21, 2020. The testimony attempted to explain if Orrin and Orson lived with the Wests in their California City home. This comes 18 months after they were reported missing from the California City home of their adoptive parents, Jaqueline and Trezell West. Almost 15 months ago, Orrin and Orson West's adoptive parents told police the young boys disappeared from the family's Southern California yard, authorities said. In March 2019, Moorers request to have her grandchildren placed with her was denied, the claim said. Their attorneys say the disappearance remains a missing persons case and that police took the easy way out to explain why they couldnt find the boys charge the parents with murder, KGET reports. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. 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. Adrian West, now 12, will testify to what he heard and saw about the disappearances of Orrin, 4, and Orson, 3, reported as missing by their parents on December 21, 2020, prosecutor Eric Smith said Tuesday during his opening statement at the trial of Trezell and Jacqueline West, now charged with the boys murder. After reporting the missing toddlers to the California CityPolice, West alerted his community of their disappearance, gathering concerned neighbors and community members to join them in their search. 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. "I feel it and I feel like they're in the house and I feel like they did something.". High near 70F. Orrin and Orson West, who were 4 and 3, were reported missing in 2020. That reward, initially offered at $30,000 by extended members of the West family, has increased to $120,000 -- contributed by multiple parties. West Trial Day 12: Biological mother of Orrin and Orson testifies 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 Wests told police that the boys were last seen playing in their backyard. The toddlers' biological mother, Ryan Dean, said she is "devastated.". Orrin and Orson West: Trial Begins for Parents of Missing Toddlers The boys are now presumed dead, and the Wests are on trial on charges including second-degree murder. We hope that you continue to enjoy our free content. In 2018, the boys were removed from their foster home and placed with the West family. This is a tragic accident is what the evidence will show, said Timothy Hennessy, one of Trezell Wests attorneys, in his opening statement. Ryan Dean, the birth mother of Orrin and Orson, testified by Zoom after the agent. Orrins biological father, Charles Pettus, said he gave Orrin two baths that day and nothing else happened, according to the claim. The brothers whose names were changed by their adoptive parents to Orrin and Orson West were reported missing in December 2020. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, Trezell and Jacqueline have two biological children and two additional adoptive ones. DNA swabs. The foster system is set up to keep children safe and to reunite them with their family, said Waukeen McCoy, the attorney for Dean and Moorer and president and CEO of McCoy Law Firm. Pettus and the grandmother requested the West boys be released to their custody, but CPS did not fulfill their requests, according to the Pettuses claim. Brothers allegedly killed by adoptive parents were unlawfully taken Their biological father, Charles Pettus, has raised concerns about the adoption process and has filed a lawsuit against Kern County officials.