BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — Thursday marked ten months since the West brothers went missing in California City. They still haven’t been found and community members are still looking for answers.
3-year-old Orson West and 4-year-old Orrin West were reported missing by their adoptive parents on December 21, 2020, in California city. Every month, members of the community come together to pray for the boys and hope they return home safely.
“We did go to California City, so now we want to come over here, you know, by the grandparents because they haven’t been saying anything,” said Keisha Stevenson.
The vigil hosted for them on Thursday evening was at the intersection of Potomac and Owens. People held signs, chanted, prayed, and lit candles for the boys.
“I know the foster mom; I know the family, and these are babies. You know, who wouldn’t want to come out and stand and support and pray and you know, try to get these babies home or some kind of answers on what happened to them or where they may be,” said Stevenson.
On March 1st, The Bakersfield Police Department took over the investigation.
According to a written statement from BPD, they said “the investigation into the disappearance of Orrin and Orson is ongoing. We will continue to work closely with the FBI and California City Police Department until the truth is brought to the light and the boys are located.”
In addition to the vigils, Stevenson said she does whatever she can to spread awareness about the boys.
“I make the shirts, I make the masks, I make the keychains. So, I make these things to bring awareness. To keep the boy’s faces out there to keep their names out there,” said Stevenson.
There are signs all around town, that people can also put up in front of their houses. It has pictures of both the boys, the reward amount, and a number you can call if you have any information that can help the boys come home safely.
Nick Hill with the Black Chamber of Commerce said the community coming out and showing their support shows how much the boys meant to the people around them.
Hill said he hopes someone out there will come forward with more information and can help find the boys.
“If you know something, say something. You know, they have anonymous phone numbers that you can call,” said Hill.
The number is 661-322-4040. The reward money for helping is up to $125,000 and community members said they won’t stop putting in the work to try to bring the boys home.
“We gonna keep doing this. We will not allow the case to go cold. So, we’re going to keep the awareness out there, we’re going to keep doing the things that we’re doing,” said Stevenson.
