“Ellie was stolen from me,” says the mother of a murdered three-year-old

According to San Jose police, the father of three-year-old Ellie Lorenzo, who was found dead at a local recycling center, is considered a suspect in her murder.

Ellie’s mother told the Times in a statement on Tuesday that her father found out before the girl’s death that she was moving to another state with the child.

Police identified the father as Jared Lorenzo, 42. His body was found last week – shortly before the little girl’s body was found at the recycling plant. Police said the man’s death appeared to be a suicide.

Authorities said the investigation into Ellie’s death was ongoing, but that Ellie was last seen alive with her father on the evening of July 11. The next morning, Lorenzo left his Fremont apartment, drove to San Jose and dumped her body in a “trash can,” according to police.

3-year-old Ellie Obi Lorenzo was killed by her father in San Jose

(San Jose Police Department)

A garbage disposal company later emptied the container and took its contents to the recycling center, where Ellie’s body was found. After disposing of his daughter’s body, Lorenzo drove through several Bay Area cities before stopping in San Francisco, where he was found dead, according to police.

Authorities have not disclosed a motive.

Chrystal Obi, the girl’s mother, issued a statement to the Times expressing her anger over her daughter’s death and sharply criticizing the court system that she said led to it.

Obi said she constantly feared for Ellie’s safety with her father, but the courts “continued to award him partial custody and visitation rights.”

“Last week, on Tuesday, I finally received confirmation that the courts would allow me to move out of state with Ellie, which he was also aware of.”

She said she kissed her daughter goodbye on Thursday morning – in the Bay Area city of Mountain View, where they lived and Ellie attended kindergarten – and told her she loved her before the girl went on “court-ordered visitation” with her father.

“But my daughter never returned.”

Obi added that she and her family have experienced overwhelming pain and grief.

“We humbly request privacy as we mourn the heartbreaking loss of our sweet Ellie.”