Hansel Quiroz Kidnapping

Developing StoryLast updated MAY 6
SUMMARY

Ismael Ortega Quiroz, 33, was arrested on May 6, 2026, in Schertz, Texas, following an attempted kidnapping of a 10-year-old boy, with authorities investigating a potential connection to the ongoing Hansel Quiroz case. As of May 6, 2026, the FBI believes Hansel Quiroz, abducted on June 16, 2023, by his non-custodial father Felipe De Jesus Quiroz-Jimenez, is in Jalisco, Mexico, and has issued a wanted poster for the father. The father also faces felony DUI charges with bodily harm from the time of Hansel's abduction. Hansel's mother, Maricela Cortez, has publicly pleaded for assistance, and an AMBER Alert was activated in Mexico in August 2025 for Hansel, who was born on September 6, 2015.

Timeline

Want updates on this thread?

Track this story

May 2026 — 1 developments

  1. Ismael Ortega Quiroz, 33, was arrested in Schertz, Texas, following an attempted kidnapping where a 10-year-old boy reported being threatened with a firearm.

    Ismael Ortega Quiroz, 33, was arrested in Schertz, Texas, following an attempted kidnapping where a 10-year-old boy reported being threatened with a firearm. The suspect was apprehended near a construction site with a van matching the description provided by the child. The surname 'Quiroz' and the nature of the incident suggest a potential connection to the ongoing Hansel Quiroz case.

April 2026 — 1 developments

  1. Authorities believe the father, Felipe De Jesus Quiroz-Jimenez, fled felony DUI charges with bodily harm at the time of Hansel Quiroz's abduction on June 16, 2023.

    Authorities believe the father, Felipe De Jesus Quiroz-Jimenez, fled felony DUI charges with bodily harm at the time of Hansel Quiroz's abduction on June 16, 2023. The FBI is offering a reward for information leading to Hansel's recovery.

January 2026 — 3 developments

  1. New forensic age progression and geolocation data are being used to help locate Hansel Quiroz.

    New forensic age progression and geolocation data are being used to help locate Hansel Quiroz. As of October 2025, the FBI now believes Hansel and his father are in Jalisco, Mexico, a change from their initial belief of Mexico City.

  2. Hansel Quiroz was born on September 6, 2015, and was abducted by his non-custodial father during a supervised visitation.

    Hansel Quiroz was born on September 6, 2015, and was abducted by his non-custodial father during a supervised visitation. His mother, Maricela Cortez, has made a public plea for assistance and alleged law enforcement inaction.

  3. The FBI has issued a wanted poster for Felipe De Jesus Quiroz-Jimenez, formally seeking him for inte…

    The FBI has issued a wanted poster for Felipe De Jesus Quiroz-Jimenez, formally seeking him for international parental kidnapping in connection with his son Hansel Quiroz's abduction. The poster names him as the individual who failed to return his son after a scheduled visit on June 16, 2023.

August 2025 — 1 developments

  1. The Baja California Attorney General's Office, in support of the National AMBER Alert Program Mexico…

    The Baja California Attorney General's Office, in support of the National AMBER Alert Program Mexico, has activated an AMBER Alert to find Hansel Quiroz Cortez, who is now 9 years old.

February 2025 — 3 developments

  1. Authorities suspect Hansel's father drove him to Mexico in a silver 2002 Volkswagen GTI.

    Authorities suspect Hansel's father drove him to Mexico in a silver 2002 Volkswagen GTI.

  2. Information was released detailing that the U.

    Information was released detailing that the U.S. and Mexico follow The Hague Convention, which focuses on returning abducted children, and that Hansel's case qualifies, but enforcement remains a challenge due to slow legal proceedings and the need for proof of wrongful removal.

  3. Hansel Quiroz was last seen and abducted in West Covina, California, on June 16, 2023, rather than Ontario, California, as previously reported.

    Hansel Quiroz was last seen and abducted in West Covina, California, on June 16, 2023, rather than Ontario, California, as previously reported. He was seven years old at the time and wearing a black Huggy Bear shirt with black sweatpants that had an orange stripe.

January 2025 — 1 developments

  1. Hansel Quiroz's disappearance has been listed among the FBI's cold cases in California.

    Hansel Quiroz's disappearance has been listed among the FBI's cold cases in California.

August 2023 — 1 developments

  1. A federal arrest warrant for suspicion of international parental kidnapping was issued for Felipe De Jesus Quiroz-Jimenez in the U.

    A federal arrest warrant for suspicion of international parental kidnapping was issued for Felipe De Jesus Quiroz-Jimenez in the U.S. District Court, Central District of California, located in Los Angeles.