Crime & Safety

Romeoville Teens Missing Since Friday Night

Police say girl,13, and boy,14, may be staying in vacant houses in Romeoville.

Two Romeoville teens are missing and are believed to have run away together.

Mom Dama Calderon said she believes her 13-year-old daughter and the teen's 14-year-old boyfriend ran away to avoid being separated.

Dama Calderon said she discovered her daughter, Ann-Marie Valdez, went missing around 7:30 p.m. Friday. Boyfriend Irving Vargas had stopped over that evening to say goodbye, Calderon said.

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According to Calderon, Vargas’ mother was sending him to Texas in order to separate the young couple, who has been dating on and off since August or September of 2011.

“I didn’t even know he came over,” said Calderon, who was napping at the time she believes the teens left together. “They’re teenagers. They’ve been falling in love … He was going to come over Friday just to say farewell.”

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Calderon said both teens attended A. Vito Martinez Middle School in Romeoville. Vargas had recently graduated.

The Romeoville mom said she believes an older friend may have picked the couple up.

“[Vargas’] mom told me she starting noticing he was hanging out with kids older than him,” Calderon said.

She said she hasn’t heard from her daughter since the couple disappeared Friday night.

“I don’t know where they went,” Calderon added. “I have no idea where they’re staying. I’m hoping they’re still within the Romeoville area.”

Calderon said Ann-Marie is Hispanic with brown eyes and black hair. She is 4’11” with a medium build. She was last seen wearing a black T-shirt and black pajama pants with a pink ribbon around the waist and writing on them.

Irving is described as Hispanic, about 5’3” with a thin build, black hair and brown eyes. He has a birthmark on the back of his right calf. He was wearing a white T-shirt, black shorts and gray gym shoes.

According to Romeoville Assistant Police Chief Steve Lucchesi, the teens have reportedly been staying at various vacant homes in the area of Hemlock and Fairfax avenues in Romeoville.

“They don’t seem to have left the immediate area,” Lucchesi said. “They have been seen as early as today (Monday). Their family is out, our zone cars are out, checking houses -- everybody has been looking for them.”

Lucchesi urges anyone with any information about the missing teens to immediately call the Romeoville Police Department at 815-886-7219.


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