This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2017, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
St. George police said two young brothers who went missing Wednesday were taken to Mexico by their noncustodial father.
The Lopez boys — Jesus, 11, and Angel, 9 — may be in danger, police said in a statement. Authorities began searching for them after they didn't show up at school Wednesday. FBI and Homeland Security investigators are assisting with the search.
Their 51-year-old father, Ricardo Flores, recently divorced their mother, who has sole custody, and "information gathered indicates he is on his way to Tijuana, Mexico with the boys," police said Wednesday evening.
On Thursday, police confirmed the boys were taken to Mexico by Lopez before they could be located.
Flores was supposed to take the boys to school on Wednesday, "but they never arrived," police said.
Officials said the father and boys were traveling in a red 2007 Dodge Caliber. Officials said Lopez sold the Caliber to a person in Mesquite, Nev. en route to Mexico.
Anyone with information on the boys' whereabouts is asked to call St. George police dispatch at 435-627-4300.
Twitter: @lramseth