A new year is bringing renewed attention to the search for two Sacramento children who disappeared after their mother was killed in 2024, as investigators and family members share new details in hopes of bringing them home.

Athena Lee, now 5, and her brother Mateo Lee, 3, have been missing since their mother, Angelica Bravo, was found dead inside the home of their father, Camron Lee, in July 2024. The FBI publicly addressed the case for the first time this week, announcing a $50,000 reward for information leading to the location, arrest and conviction of Lee, and for the safe return of the children.

The push for new information comes as National Missing Persons Day approaches, with authorities and family members emphasizing the importance of keeping the children in the public eye.

“One thing that I think about a lot is I don’t want time to just go on and people forget about them,” said Dawn Bodea, the children’s maternal grandmother. “We’re definitely going to keep their faces out there and do everything that we can to make sure that that they’re on the forefront of people’s minds.”

Bodea said she has spent more than a year searching for her grandchildren while grieving the loss of her daughter. Sacramento police have said Camron Lee is wanted by the FBI for his alleged involvement in Bravo’s killing, and investigators still do not know where the children are.

“We don’t know if the kids are with Camron, if they’re not with Camron, if they were dropped off somewhere,” said Sacramento Police Sgt. Anthony Gamble. “Our hope is that they’re not with Camron and that we can find them somewhere here in the state. We just don’t know where they are now. What I will say is it is extremely concerning that Camron is out there on the run.”

Gamble said Sacramento police are working closely with the FBI, expanding the search and investigative resources beyond the local level.

FBI Sacramento Public Affairs Specialist Gina Swankie said investigators are following up on information suggesting Lee may have traveled into Mexico and stressed that tips from anywhere could help.

“There is some information that he may have traveled into Mexico, so certainly that’s something that’s always been explored,” Swankie said. “Our reach as far as communication is going into those foreign countries, and we work with our legal attaches in foreign countries across the globe. So, any tip from anywhere is valuable and will be pursued.”

As part of the renewed effort, Bodea shared new details about her grandchildren’s personalities and habits, hoping those descriptions might trigger recognition.

“Athena, she, well, she’s just very bold and outgoing,” Bodea said. “She has that kind of sassy personality, and she’ll definitely let you know if there’s something that she doesn’t want or does want.”

She said both children loved dinosaurs and were especially close to each other. Mateo, she added, was rarely without a basketball.

“He also would have a basketball that he would be seen with all the time, like he took it everywhere,” Bodea said. “So maybe if they see a little kid dribbling a ball, he loved that ball.”

Mateo will also be turning 4 years old this weekend.

Authorities said they must limit what details are released publicly to avoid harming the investigation, but they are urging the public to share photos of the children and their father and to report any information they may have.

Bodea said bringing Athena and Mateo home would offer some peace after her daughter’s death.

“Please stay diligent, stay vigilant and, you know, keep your eyes out for them,” she said. “Because I know it only takes one person, one person, and then they could be home.”

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