Sheriff: Walnut Hill Girl Found Safe, Alleged Kidnapping Did Not Happen; Suspect Detained In Texas

July 28, 2022

UPDATED 4:10 p.m.

Escambia County Sheriff Chip Simmons told NorthEscambia.com that an 11-year old girl reported kidnapped from Walnut Hill has been found safe in the area.

“We do not believe now that she was kidnapped,” Simmons said. The girl was located in Foley with a vehicle reported stolen Thursday from a farm in Walnut Hill.

Manriquez Brijido-Ortez, 42, the man alleged in a statewide Amber Alert report to have kidnapped the girl, was found Thursday afternoon in Laredo, Texas, but Simmons said they do not believe he took the girl.

Brijido-Ortez remains in custody in Texas as authorities investigate his prior alleged relationship with the 11-year old.

Simmons said it’s not known who stole the vehicle.

Additional updates will be posted as available.

UPDATE 3:45 p.m.: The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office says 11-year old Banesa Irene Fernandez-Santis has been safely located. No further details have been released.

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A Walnut Hill father just wants his daddy’s girl back home soon after she was allegedly kidnapped by his former 42-year old coworker, prompting an Amber Alert.

In an exclusive interview with NorthEscambia.com in partnership with La Costa Latina Newspaper, Carlos Fernandez told us about his 11-year old daughter that was kidnapped just a few hours earlier.

Banesa Irene Fernandez-Santis, 11, was last seen when she went to her room about 10 p.m. Wednesday on Arthur Brown Road near Morgan Road. Manriquez Brijido-Ortez, 42, is suspected in her kidnapping, according to Sheriff Chief Simmons.

Simmons said Banesa and Brijido-Ortez were working on a farm in Walnut Hill where  Carlos discovered a “building or grooming” relationship between the 11-year old and the 42-year old. Two weeks ago, “the father was concerned because he saw them in a kissing situation, and he immediately thought that’ s inappropriate, and he was right, and he fired him, and he actually drove him to Atlanta,” Simmons said. Thursday morning, the father found a screen cut on their Walnut Hill home, and Banesa was missing. She left a note behind indicating that she would be with Brijido-Ortez.

“She was my  daddy’s girl,” dad Carlos told us as he stood on the porch of his Walnut Hill home. It’s a nice country home that he’s proud to have enjoyed for nine years or so, along with the neighboring land where he grows crops like cucumbers and okra. Five-gallon buckets of freshly cut okra were sitting on the porch, and there was more waiting in the field.

“We were going to pick okra today,” he said.

But instead he awoke to find his baby girl, a student at Walnut Hill Christian School, gone from her room.

“This morning, she just went out,” he said. “We went for breakfast. She wasn’t in her room.”

The only clue to here whereabouts was a note that she left behind.

“She say I’m going because I love him,” Carlos said. “Yeah stupid things.”

Carlos has known and worked with Brijido-Ortez, the alleged kidnapper, for about two years. Carlos said he does not speak much English, but his daughter is fluent in Spanish, English and was even learning a third language.

“When we first found that he was trying to mess with her, we fired him,” he said of an incident two weeks ago. “He don’t have no way to go nowhere. Our boss, he take him to Atlanta to a cousin’s place.”

Investigators believe Ortez may have headed back to Atlanta or Laredo, Texas, following the kidnapping. Multiple law enforcement agencies, including the FBI, have now joined the investigation.

Carlos was remarkably calm during our interview, but he said he’s worried more than anyone could imagine about Banesa.

“I feel pretty upset and angry because this is something pretty bad. I don’t want anybody else go through this. To me, I grow up on a military and I was police officer too. And then now I don’t feel too much pain. The most pain I see is my wife crying.”

Banesa’s mom, who spoke only in Spanish, was visibly upset, terribly worried, as she looked through her phone for the perfect photo of Banesa to text to us.

Carlos walked us around the house and showed us a cut window screen on Banesa’s bedroom, where the sheriff’s office says she was kidnapped.

As we walked back to the front porch, he pointed an empty and perfectly cleaned above-ground pool.

“She wanted to go swimming. We cleaned it yesterday and was going to put water in it today,” Carlos told NorthEscambia.com. Then the emotions he was trying not show became just a bit apparent in his voice.

“My girl was going to be swimming there today. She’s supposed to be right there.”

He had a message that he hopes Banesa will read here.

“I love her, and this is her house,” he said. “If…if she can come back, I will, you know, we can talk about what happened. You know kids, daughters, or sons, you always love them. No matter if they make a mistake. We’re humans, and we’re making mistakes, and we learn from there.”

Pictured top: Carlos Fernandez shows a family photo at Circus Vazquez, with his kidnapped daughter on the far left, as his wife looks on at the family home in Walnut Hill Thursday afternoon. An enlargement of the photo showing 11-year old Banesa Irene Fernandez-Santis is below. Top inset (submitted): Banesa, opening presents, shows off a new bracelet. This is the photo her mom chose to show the world of her daughter. Pictured bottom inset: The window where Banesa was allegedly kidnapped, prompting an Amber Alert. NorthEscambia.com exclusive photos, click to enlarge. Pictured bottom: Photos provided by the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office.

Comments

6 Responses to “Sheriff: Walnut Hill Girl Found Safe, Alleged Kidnapping Did Not Happen; Suspect Detained In Texas”

  1. Weary... on July 29th, 2022 11:54 pm

    This hits too close to home! Hopefully, this incident makes the Sheriff more aware of illegal activity and undocumented people in the north of the county! I think this particular farm has been hosting these illegals for years as cheap labor! Maybe something will happen now!

  2. np630ss on July 29th, 2022 1:32 pm

    I am thankful she was found unharmed. I’m also glad his supervisor “beat him up” before he was taken to Atlanta. This girl is looking for male attention. At her age fatherly (non sexual!) attention is important. His love and guidance is a major factor in who she will become and the sort of man she’s attracted to. My daughter never wanted for my live, attention and support. She’s now married with 3 daughters of her own. I passed my knowledge to my son in law and he agrees.
    ** Note – it’s almost eerie how many similarities there are between him and me.

  3. MQ on July 29th, 2022 11:57 am

    I thought the same thing as Oversight.

  4. Ol' Skinny on July 29th, 2022 10:46 am

    “Oversight” I have to agree with you … If I found my 11 year old kissing/embracing/being groomed by a 40+ year old employee I sure as heck wouldn’t be driving him to Atlanta, I would be driving my boot into his behind!! Something just isn’t quite right in this story.

  5. Oversight on July 29th, 2022 7:40 am

    Doesn’t pass the smell test. Stolen farm truck and ‘kidnapped’ girl found in Foley, but it is unknown who stole the truck? Another head scratcher, suspect was driven to Atlanta, but is found in Laredo, TX.

  6. Concerned on July 28th, 2022 6:25 pm

    So sad to read this story. Im very thankful that the child has been found & is safe. I just want the parents to know that they & the whole family r in our prayers. Its not easy raising a girl you have so many fears daily. Just want them know they are not alone in this especially not alone when they (children) mess up & make mistakes. Hang in there some days are better than other’s & some days all the dark clouds roll in all at once. A sunny day is on it’s way.

Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under News