VA JUAN MEJIA ACEVEDO: Missing from Virginia Beach, VA - 24 Jan 2025 - Age 12 *Found Deceased*

https://www.wavy.com/news/amber-alert-issued-for-virginia-beach-boy-abducted-by-unknown-person/

Amber Alert issued for Virginia Beach boy abducted by unknown person​

Virginia State Police have issued an Amber Alert for a Virginia Beach boy they said was abducted Friday morning.

VBPD said 12-year-old Juan Sebastian Mejia Acevedo was last seen on Mica Avenue off Baxter Road. Acevedo has not been seen since he was allegedly abducted out of the Kempsville area.

State Police said he was last seen wearing blue pants, a red hoodie and black shoes. Acevedo is a hispanic male who is about 5’8″ and 105 pounds.

In a press release, State Police said he was “believed to be abducted by an unknown person.”





MEDIA - JUAN MEJIA ACEVEDO: Missing from Virginia Beach, VA - 24 Jan 2025 - Age 12

 

[GrandmaBear]

I read that she sent $500 then they asked for more. No link because it was just a comment on a youtube video (the only comment.)

I thought I read that she just sent PART of the money demanded. I wonder if she sent some at the suggestion of LE? It would create a trail or show a destination and perhaps even enable them to nab the person who picks it up (if a wire for instance). I would imagine we will hear more on this at some point.

It could be entirely unrelated to him and what happened, and just be someone trying to take advantage, it is hard to say at this point, imo.

 

[Guess Who]

I read that she sent $500 then they asked for more. No link because it was just a comment on a youtube video (the only comment.)

It's in one of the first articles posted here about him being missing.

 

[Tresir]

It's in one of the first articles posted here about him being missing.

Saw that just now thanks. See below from the link in your post number 7. I am pretty impressed how quickly LE found him.

“When we got home, he was not home. We told him he could go to his friend’s house from two to four, but we just thought because he wasn’t home, he was probably still at his friend’s house as boys do. We went to his friend’s house, spoke to the parents and the parents tell us he never came to their house,” said Jenni Acevedo, Juan’s mother.

Jenni went on Facebook Live to get the word out to see if friends or family could help. That’s when several ransom requests came in.

“They made me go to a nearby Walmart and asked for money. I did not give the full amount, just part of it,” said Acevedo.

Juan’s mother sent $500, and they then demanded $10,000, and she realized she was getting scammed.

“We have to treat it as a credible lead. And so that’s why our federal partners are here helping us with this potential abduction, and we’ll chase that all the way to its end,” said Saunders.

Juan is their only child. The family is desperate to find him, and the mother believes he is still on Mica Avenue.

Local and federal law enforcement have been canvassing the neighborhood, using drones, knocking on doors, and on Sunday added mounted patrol. VBPD does not believe it is a recovery mission; out of caution, the marine patrol unit is searching nearby lakes and ponds.

“We also enlisted the help of some of our Hispanic Citizens Police Academy alumni to help be shoulder to shoulder with our officers, knock on doors and assist translating, if necessary,” said Saunders.

According to Saunders, the family has recently moved, and VBPD is also looking at the other areas they have lived in as well as the current entire neighborhood.


One neighbor who lives in the apartment complex says police have knocked on his door asking for additional information.

“They asked if I’d seen any suspicious activity around here. Cars that kind of look unfamiliar here. And I have not,” said resident Gavin Sands.

VBPD has contacted ICE and confirmed that Juan is not in ICE custody.

“Our first and only priority is the safety and well-being of our community. And that comes regardless of immigration status,” said Saunders.

VBPD has created an anonymous digital evidence portal where people can upload photos and videos about this case.

Juan is described as:

• Age: 12
• Height: 5’8”
• Weight: 105 pounds
• Hair Color: black
• Eye Color: brown
• Clothing: Last seen wearing a gray jacket, red hoodie, and blue pants

If you have any information about this case, you can submit an anonymous tip by calling 1-888-LOCK-U-UP, downloading the P3 tips app to a mobile device, or visiting www.P3tips.com and submitting a tip.


Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

 

[GrandmaBear]

Saw that just now thanks. See below from the link in your post number 7. I am pretty impressed how quickly LE found him.

“When we got home, he was not home. We told him he could go to his friend’s house from two to four, but we just thought because he wasn’t home, he was probably still at his friend’s house as boys do. We went to his friend’s house, spoke to the parents and the parents tell us he never came to their house,” said Jenni Acevedo, Juan’s mother.

Jenni went on Facebook Live to get the word out to see if friends or family could help. That’s when several ransom requests came in.

“They made me go to a nearby Walmart and asked for money. I did not give the full amount, just part of it,” said Acevedo.

Juan’s mother sent $500, and they then demanded $10,000, and she realized she was getting scammed.

“We have to treat it as a credible lead. And so that’s why our federal partners are here helping us with this potential abduction, and we’ll chase that all the way to its end,” said Saunders.

Juan is their only child. The family is desperate to find him, and the mother believes he is still on Mica Avenue.

Local and federal law enforcement have been canvassing the neighborhood, using drones, knocking on doors, and on Sunday added mounted patrol. VBPD does not believe it is a recovery mission; out of caution, the marine patrol unit is searching nearby lakes and ponds.

“We also enlisted the help of some of our Hispanic Citizens Police Academy alumni to help be shoulder to shoulder with our officers, knock on doors and assist translating, if necessary,” said Saunders.

According to Saunders, the family has recently moved, and VBPD is also looking at the other areas they have lived in as well as the current entire neighborhood.


One neighbor who lives in the apartment complex says police have knocked on his door asking for additional information.

“They asked if I’d seen any suspicious activity around here. Cars that kind of look unfamiliar here. And I have not,” said resident Gavin Sands.

VBPD has contacted ICE and confirmed that Juan is not in ICE custody.

“Our first and only priority is the safety and well-being of our community. And that comes regardless of immigration status,” said Saunders.

VBPD has created an anonymous digital evidence portal where people can upload photos and videos about this case.

Juan is described as:

• Age: 12
• Height: 5’8”
• Weight: 105 pounds
• Hair Color: black
• Eye Color: brown
• Clothing: Last seen wearing a gray jacket, red hoodie, and blue pants

If you have any information about this case, you can submit an anonymous tip by calling 1-888-LOCK-U-UP, downloading the P3 tips app to a mobile device, or visiting www.P3tips.com and submitting a tip.


Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

I read this back when and I also read mom sent them just a part or some such of the ransom demand. I don't know that I ever noticed the Walmart part. For me that makes this a total scam as it pretty much says here, they realized when upped to 10K they were getting scammed. Such going on probably helped with an Amber Alert AND having something happening that you have to treat as a lead...

Walmart wires. This convinced me to a fair certainty (but staying open) that this ransom demand was unrelated to anyone having him or his disappearance. Someone was simply taking advantage of vulnerable desperate parents. And there's a good chance it came from someone in another country. That's what they do, have you wire the money, and Walmart is KNOWN for such. I can tell you all a story about that at some point in time with our really questionable Walmart just down the street from me... One time we went there to try to access money if I recall, and the lines, then the clerks who could hardly speak English because in general it was not people like us that were wiring money constantly... Boy it is a story for another day...Just suffice it to say most people wiring money from Walmart well...... I doubt much of it is above board...

 

[Tresir]

I read this back when and I also read mom sent them just a part or some such of the ransom demand. I don't know that I ever noticed the Walmart part. For me that makes this a total scam as it pretty much says here, they realized when upped to 10K they were getting scammed. Such going on probably helped with an Amber Alert AND having something happening that you have to treat as a lead...

Walmart wires. This convinced me to a fair certainty (but staying open) that this ransom demand was unrelated to anyone having him or his disappearance. Someone was simply taking advantage of vulnerable desperate parents. And there's a good chance it came from someone in another country. That's what they do, have you wire the money, and Walmart is KNOWN for such. I can tell you all a story about that at some point in time with our really questionable Walmart just down the street from me... One time we went there to try to access money if I recall, and the lines, then the clerks who could hardly speak English because in general it was not people like us that were wiring money constantly... Boy it is a story for another day...Just suffice it to say most people wiring money from Walmart well...... I doubt much of it is above board...

Can it be traced who receives the money do you know? I even wondered if LE provided her the money so they could track the payment. Is that likely?

 

[Guess Who]

Can it be traced who receives the money do you know? I even wondered if LE provided her the money so they could track the payment. Is that likely?

They probably could if the chose to put the resources into it. These people aren't rich and/or important enough for them to likely do that though.

 

[GrandmaBear]

Can it be traced who receives the money do you know? I even wondered if LE provided her the money so they could track the payment. Is that likely?

It can be done imo for sure. I wondered too if not only they provided the money, but told them to give some money so they could track where it went and who picked it up. Someone is going to pick that money up.

If it's like some kind of scam from India or somewhere, the chances of an arrest are slim but at least they'd know it had nothing to do with him being taken or hurt and was likely just scammers taking advantage of desperate parents and the situation.

That's my take on it. Anything with an electronic trail can be traced as to where it went, etc. and where it came from. Might not give you the exact PERSON but can be traced to destination and where originated, etc...

 

[SheWhoMustNotBeNamed]

'Authenticity' of ransom request under investigation in case of 12-year-old Juan Acevedo

Police investigators have not indicated yet whether someone could be held criminally responsible for the death of the Larkspur Middle School student.

www.13newsnow.com

'Authenticity' of ransom request under investigation in case of 12-year-old Juan Acevedo​

One lasting question in the death investigation of 12-year-old Juan Acevedo is the "authenticity" of ransom messages that prompted investigators to treat the case as a possible abduction.

According to Virginia Beach Police Chief Paul Neudigate, a $500 payment was delivered to someone who corresponded with the family during their search for answers on a Facebook livestream.

"At which some point family or someone on behalf of the family paid with no additional communication," he said.

On Tuesday, an updated statement from Virginia Beach officials reiterated the authenticity of that ransom request is under investigation.

Chief Neudigate previously said it's too early to tell in the investigation whether someone will face criminal charges for Acevedo's death. He added the possibility of the financial request being a scam -- and not from someone who had legitimate information about his whereabouts -- is still on the table.

“Is that a possibility? It absolutely is. Is that one of our theories, that this was possibly a scam perpetuated on the family? Of course, but we would be negligent if we didn’t treat it as an actual threat, an actual kidnapping," he said.

Chief Neudigate confirmed someone did receive the payment, but it may take law enforcement working across different jurisdictions to find out who received it and how much they may or may not have known.

“Unfortunately because it involves out-of-state transactions, we need search warrants and subpoenas to try and identify the individual who received that money," he said.

 

[GrandmaBear]

i'm staying open but my leaning is the ransom had nothing to do with his death or knowledge of his whereabouts nor the ransom demanders having him. I HOPE as is hinted here it is all just across state lines and not out of country as those are harder to ever prosecute or arrest anyone on. There is a trail and they know or will know who did this or likely did this even IF the person had someone else pick up the money.

I rarely go where it isn't foul play but am leaning towards this was an accident and the ransom request was someone taking advantage of the parents' desperation. That is rare for me. I haven't ruled out foul play though, or the ransom thing being related. I just think the more likely is the first of what I just said.... At the moment anyhow...

They should investigate it and get to the bottom of it and sounds as if they are but I think it hints towards the same, it may well be a separate thing, the ransom demand...

I do think we will hear eventually what the case was.

Again I am staying open to anything and I do have a part of me about was he trying to walk on thin ice...? I mean if he fell through it was not too thick... it still could be foul play... I am not leaning that way which is pretty rare for me but I have moments... They did seem to focus on this pond and apartment complex the day he was found... They may just have found video that put him near there and then found no further video anywhere further on... Was he always alone and never made it to the friend's or was he at this apartment complex first and then ended up in the pond...

Again right now I am thinking it was a mishap, accident and the ransom is unrelated... BUT remaining wide open on it as nowhere near sure.

And either way the ones who made the ransom demand and took advantage of this worried and grieving and desperate family need to be charged and locked up. That's some rotten human nature.

 

[SheWhoMustNotBeNamed]

Medical examiner reveals cause of death for missing Virginia boy who triggered Amber Alert

The missing Virginia boy who triggered an Amber Alert in Virginia over the weekend died from an accidental drowning, according to officials with the medical examiner's office.

www.wtvr.com

Missing Virginia boy who triggered Amber Alert died from accidental drowning, ME says​

The missing Virginia boy who triggered an Amber Alert in Virginia over the weekend died from an accidental drowning, according to officials with the medical examiner's office.

 

[Guess Who]

Medical examiner reveals cause of death for missing Virginia boy who triggered Amber Alert

The missing Virginia boy who triggered an Amber Alert in Virginia over the weekend died from an accidental drowning, according to officials with the medical examiner's office.

www.wtvr.com

Missing Virginia boy who triggered Amber Alert died from accidental drowning, ME says​

The missing Virginia boy who triggered an Amber Alert in Virginia over the weekend died from an accidental drowning, according to officials with the medical examiner's office.

I'm really surprised we haven't heard of it happening more from those places where kids (and parents) have never experienced it.