ARIZ. GIRL, 13, DEAD, AND 12-YEAR-OLD SISTER IN CRITICAL CONDITION AFTER UNCLE ALLEGEDLY KIDNAPS THEM
A 13-year-old girl is dead and her 12-year-old sister is fighting for her life after they were allegedly kidnapped by their uncle in Pheonix.
On Wednesday night, sisters Stephanie Chacon, 13, and Hayli Chacon, 12, were found suffering from “significant injuries” on the side of the road on US 60, according to an Arizona Department of Public Safety press release obtained by PEOPLE.
Get push notifications with news, features and more.
You’ll get the latest updates on this topic in your browser notifications.
Upon arrival, first responders pronounced Stephanie deceased. Hayli was flown to a Phoenix-area hospital, where she remains in extremely critical condition. On a GoFundMe page started to help pay for Stephanie’s funeral expenses, the girls’ family said Hayli was “fighting for her life.”
Troopers soon learned that the girls had allegedly been kidnapped in Phoenix and were able to locate a possible suspect who was seen with bloody clothing at a gas station in nearby Wickenburg. After taking the suspect into custody, troopers were able to identify him as the victims’ uncle, Carlos Eduardo Mora, 27, of Phoenix, according to the press release.
Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up for PEOPLE’s free True Crime newsletter for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases.
Mora allegedly kidnapped the girls earlier that evening after being at a residence with them and an unidentified adult male at a home in Phoenix. Fox10 reports the girls’ mother was also at the home.
At some point during the evening, the sisters, Mora and the man were getting ready to drive to a local convenience store when the man went back inside the home. That’s when Mora allegedly jumped into the driver’s seat and drove off with the sisters in the backseat.
When the unidentified man tried to stop Mora from leaving, Mora allegedly hit him with the car.
Image zoom
Phoenix Police Department
Family were able to call the girls but only heard screaming before the call was disconnected. The Phoenix Police Department responded to the residence and began their investigation into the kidnapping.
The family told Fox10 the girls were inseparable.
“The minute Hayli was responsive, she was asking about her sister,” Briana Campos said. “They did everything together…They went to school together. They liked being around each other. You’re gonna have love for a sibling, but they were the closest in age.”
The investigation remains ongoing. Mora has been booked into Maricopa County Jail on charges of first-degree murder, aggravated assault, kidnapping and car theft. Attorney information was not available Monday.
