Two Children Who Went Missing Back Safe at Pasadena Group Home

Two 12-year-old children, a girl and a boy, are back in the care of a group home in Pasadena after they went missing, one of them for the second time in a week, Pasadena Police officers said.

Pasadena Police Lt. Mark Goodman said Ryan Castellanos and Kia Mitchell were reported missing from the Hillsides Family Resource Center at 940 Avenue 64 at about 7:40 p.m. Tuesday. Police had to send out an alert and seek the help of the public to help find the missing children, but hours later, the two reappeared at the center.

“They came back at 12:55 this morning,” Goodman said.

Castellano had also gone missing Monday night and returned to the center Tuesday morning, police said. When he disappeared again Tuesday night, Mitchell reportedly went with him.

Police were not able to provide exact information about where they went but assured the children are safe.

“They didn’t make any comments about why they ran away,” Goodman said. “We always try to get information from children when they’re reported missing and when we locate them. We always try to conduct an investigation to ensure that their safety wasn’t in danger or that they weren’t the victim of any crime in any way.”

Hillsides Family Resource Center, which provides support services to vulnerable children, youth and families, provides temporary housing for some of the children they help through community-based programs, Goodman said.